While sexual harassment occurs in many different workplaces, certain industries are more prone to sexually inappropriate misconduct than others. For numerous reasons, the restaurant industry is especially prone to sexual harassment. Each staff position in a restaurant requires a unique set of skills. Cooks, wait staff, management, busboys, and even patrons join to make a restaurant run smoothly. While it is this diversity that makes a restaurant a vibrant and enjoyable place to work, it can also be the cause for misunderstandings. What may be intended as an innocent or flattering comment by one person may be interpreted as an intimidating or degrading advance by another. Many states and municipalities have adopted measures to help decrease the growing number of sexual harassment incidents.
Unfortunately, for a number of reasons, the restaurant industry has been one of the slowest to adopt sexual harassment training and preventative measures. Experts who specialize in restaurant sexual harassment believe that most incidents are not intentionally malicious or meant to intimidate. Most offenders simply do not know what sexual harassment entails or that their actions may be offensive. Proper training can educate employees on how to avoid and respond to sexual harassment. Many believe training should start during the onboarding process.
If you experienced sexual harassment in the workplace, the Philadelphia sexual harassment lawyers at The Gold Law Firm P.C. can help. By speaking up, you will help prevent the same thing from happening to others. For a free consultation, call us at 215-569-1999 or contact us online today. Located in Philadelphia, we serve clients throughout Bucks County, Chester County, Delaware County, and Montgomery County.
