Sexual harassment cases are often unreported, and many employees wait too long to report them. There are strict time deadlines that limit how long you have to report sexual harassment. Time deadlines may be as short as 180 days from the last incident, but may be longer depending on other unique factors. To ensure your claim is not lost, it is critical that you speak with a Kentucky sexual harassment attorney as soon as possible.
The dedicated Kentucky sexual harassment and employment lawyers at Abney Law are ready to speak with you and help address what you have been through. Schedule a consultation quickly to ensure your time deadline does not pass before it is too late.
Workplace Sexual Harassment Claims in Kentucky
Sexual harassment in the workplace consists of several types of conduct. Common examples include:
- Threats of sexual violence
- Requests for sexual favors or quid pro quo
- Lewd gestures
- Frequent sexual jokes
- Stalking
- Unwanted physical touching or sexual advances
- Offensive or crude phrases and words
- Offensive remarks about a person’s sex or gender
Filing your claim in time is essential to preventing further abuse and holding the perpetrator responsible. The longer you wait to report the harassment, the less likely you are to hold the responsible party accountable for their actions.
Time Deadlines in Sexual Harassment Claims
There are many different time deadlines in sexual harassment claims. Which deadline applies to you will depend on the unique facts of your case and the legal avenue you pursue. The best advice we can give you is: do not wait. Speak to a sexual harassment attorney right away to ensure you have all of the options open to you.
Statutes of limitations set hard deadlines on when you must report sexual harassment. If you go past this deadline, your case will be dismissed, even if you otherwise would have been successful.
Workplace Sexual Harassment Claims
Workplace sexual harassment incidents are usually reported to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission under federal anti-discrimination laws. Your case may also be filed with the Kentucky Commission on Human Rights.
In most cases, the filing deadline is 180 calendar days from the date the sexual harassment took place. This is a rather short time period in which to report your case. Some deadlines may be extended to 300 days when appropriate under state and federal law, but you should never assume this longer time period applies. Your attorney can help determine the appropriate statute of limitations period in your case.
Other Legal Avenues
Sexual harassment comes in many forms, and there may be other legal mechanisms to enforce your rights as well. This could include potential criminal charges against the perpetrator, independent civil actions for compensation, and more. Each of these types of cases has its own statute of limitations. These limitations periods are often longer than under employment law.
It is critical not to confuse time deadlines in other legal cases with employment law sexual harassment claims. Too many victims look on the internet and find time deadlines of three years, five, or even ten and assume they have plenty of time. Waiting can cost you critical legal rights if the actual time deadline passes.
File Your Kentucky Sexual Harassment Claim in Time
Understanding which time deadline applies to your case can be incredibly complicated without legal help. A skilled sexual harassment lawyer, however, can analyze your case and file it is time. Speak to us as quickly as possible after the sexual harassment to ensure your rights are protected.
Let the experienced employment law attorneys at Abney Law help you fight back against sexual harassment. Contact us today for a consultation of your case.