Sexual harassment is one of the most disgusting experiences that anyone may have to endure. If you take a moment to think about the reality of what’s going on in these cases, it’s enough to make any law-abiding citizen put up a fight.
Fortunately, if you’re being victimized by on-the-job sexual harassment, the law is on your side and you can put up a fight. However, you might need to allow yourself to get a little bit angry first.
When you get a job, giving up your free time to advance another person’s or organization’s profit agenda, you receive your salary. For many California employees, that salary is just enough to make financial ends meet.
The very least your employer could do is treat you with respect and offer you a workplace that does not violate your personal boundaries and sense of safety. Nevertheless, sexual harassment is common in California workplaces, and most victims of the harassment silently endure it because they’re afraid that complaining will affect their ability to earn a living.
Immoral and unconscionable, sexual harassment usually involves a coworker or superior making unwanted sexual advances on a coworker. A colleague or superior asking you out on a date and you say “no” is one thing. Repeated advances of a sexual nature, unwanted touching, unwanted sexual comments, or a workplace replete with sexualized and offensive banter is another thing entirely.
At its worst, superiors could demand sexual favors from employees in exchange for better salaries and promotions, and they might threaten to punish the employee if he or she refuses to comply.
Business managers and workers who commit sexual harassment against fellow employees, and those who promote or fail to correct a sexualized workplace culture are violating state and federal law. They’re also violating human decency standards that every person should be aware of.
If you’re being victimized by any kind of harassment at your California workplace, you may be able to pursue an employment law action to put the harassment to an immediate stop. If successfully navigated, you may also be able to pursue financial compensation for damages that the sexual harassment has caused you.