More than fifty years after Congress passed the Civil Rights Act of 1964, too many workers are denied equal opportunity in the workplace and face egregious harassment and retaliation.
For example, nearly 1 out of every 3 women (ages 18-34) experience sexual harassment at work, according to a study. And this study also finds that more than 70% of the women harassed did not report it.
A variety of factors are at play when it comes to explaining the low numbers of victims who report the harassment, but part of the problem is the number of women who are then retaliated against if they do report the harassment.
Recent, high-profile scandals at Uber and other tech companies are potent reminders of the work that remains to be done in eradicating sexual harassment at work.
To help navigate the legal issues surrounding workplace sexual harassment, the employment discrimination attorneys at Bachman Law published the Sexual Harassment Survival Guide for Employees.
Why it’s essential to know your legal options
Sexual harassment at work is, unfortunately, an all too common experience for female employees. It is thus vital for you to know your legal options and protections if you’ve endured sexual harassment.
For example, deadlines for filing a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) about the sexual harassment apply, which might prevent you from filing a claim if missed. And your company may have policies about how to internally report harassment and discrimination.
Likewise, your employer has varying defenses to liability depending on whether the harassment is at the hands of a supervisor or a co-worker/subordinate employee.
Finally, there are different federal, state, and local laws that may apply to your particular harassment claim.
New “plain English” answers about sex harassment published
The employment discrimination attorneys at Bachman Law recently published a guide that lays out answers to common questions asked by employees who are faced with sexual harassment or retaliation at work.
The guide provides “plain English” answers to common questions about sexual harassment, including:
- Must the harassment come from my supervisor?
- What defenses may my employer use against my sexual harassment claim?
- What is the deadline for filing a sexual harassment complaint?
- How do I prove my workplace is a “hostile work environment”?
- What damages and remedies are available to victims of sexual harassment?
Hiring an experienced employment discrimination lawyer
Hiring a proven and effective advocate is critical to obtaining the maximum recovery in an employment discrimination case. Eric Bachman has substantial experience litigating precedent-setting individual and class action discrimination cases. His wins include a $100 million settlement in a disparate impact Title VII class action and a $16 million class action settlement against a major grocery chain. Having served as Special Litigation Counsel in the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice and as lead or co-counsel in numerous jury trials, Bachman is trial-tested and ready to fight for you to obtain the relief that you deserve.
Bachman writes frequently on topics related to promotion discrimination, harassment, and other employment discrimination issues at the Glass Ceiling Discrimination Blog.