While many workers know how to identify and report sexual harassment, victims of it will remain silent for many reasons. Philadelphia employment lawyers stress the importance of documenting such unethical behavior in order for it to stop.
It is not uncommon for victims to remain silent because they are afraid they will face retaliation after reporting they’ve been sexual harassed. This only perpetuates the problem of sexual harassment in workplace and keeps more victims from reporting their experiences.
Workplace Sexual Harassment Statistics
In 2011, ABC News and The Washington Post conducted a poll of American workers and found that 25 percent of women and 10 percent of men reported that they had been sexually harassed in the workplace. Other statistics to note include:
- Four in 10 workers who reported that they had been sexually harassed did not report the harassment because they were either afraid of the consequences of reporting or because they felt their report would do nothing.
- A June 2016 report by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) found that six to 13 percent of workers file complaints after experiencing sexual harassment.
Retaliation After Reporting Sexual Harassment is Illegal
As an American worker, you are protected from retaliation by the same law that protects you from sexual harassment: Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. If your employer retaliates against you for making a report of sexual harassment, discrimination, or any other illegal act, you have the right to file a retaliation claim with the EEOC.
Examples of retaliation include:
- Termination or layoff
- Harassment
- Poor performance reviews
- Refusal to promote the employee
- Docking the employee’s pay or refusing to pay him or her for overtime hours worked
- Poor references when the employee seeks a new job
- Increased disciplinary actions.
Philadelphia Sexual Harassment Lawyers at Sidney L. Gold & Associates Can Help You Fight Harassment
If you are being sexually harassed in your workplace, do not simply accept it quietly and continue working. You have the right to take action against your employer, and if that leads to retaliation, you have the right to speak up about it and be compensated for your damages. To learn more, complete our online form or call 215-569-1999 to schedule your initial consultation with the Philadelphia employment lawyers at The Gold Law Firm P.C.. We help employees in New York, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey.
