Sexual Harassment
The Reddy Law Firm, P.C. of Atlanta, Georgia takes the issue of sexual harassment in the workplace very seriously. It is a form of abuse and it can be so severe that it becomes necessary to make a formal complaint and file a workplace sexual harassment lawsuit in Atlanta. If you are the victim of sexual abuse at work, K.P. Reddy, with more than 20 years of practice in employment law, strongly encourages you to contact an attorney immediately.
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) and the Official Code of Georgia Title 45 make workplace discrimination, which includes sexual harassment, illegal in any aspect of employment.
What is sexual harassment?
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) defines sexual harassment as unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature when this conduct:
- Explicitly or implicitly affects an individual's employment
- Unreasonably interferes with an individual's work performance
- Creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment
When and where does sexual harassment occur?
Sexual harassment of employees occurs in all sorts of scenarios:
- The victim, as well as the harasser, may be either male or female. In other words, the victim and the harasser may be the same sex; they need not be opposite sexes. In 2008, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission recorded 13,867 charges of sexual harassment; nearly 16 percent of those charges were filed by men.
- The harasser can be the victim's supervisor, an agent of the employer, a supervisor in another area, a co-worker or even someone who is in the workplace but is not an employee, such as a contractor or a salesperson who makes regular calls.
- The victim does not have to be the person harassed but could be anyone affected by the offensive conduct.
- Although sexual advances may be direct, often sexual harassment is a matter of subtle actions and implied suggestions.
- Abuse may take place outside of work, at a company seminar or party or on a business trip, but with direct implications for the workplace.
You may be reluctant to admit that you are being subjected to this particular kind of abuse in your workplace. Maybe you’re not absolutely certain a remark was meant to be suggestive. You may think there’s just something wrong with you if unnecessary touching makes you uncomfortable. You may be ashamed. Over time, if the harasser is not rebuffed, he or she will become more aggressive.
As distasteful as fighting back may be, it is crucial that you act promptly to protect your legal rights. Attorney K.P. Reddy fights sexual harassment in the workplace. He helps clients through a difficult process. He works with his clients to achieve optimum results for their harassment cases. Remember, it is unlawful to retaliate against an individual for opposing employment practices that discriminate based on sex or for filing a discrimination charge testifying, or participating in any way in an investigation, proceeding or litigation. Rely on a trustworthy sexual harassment attorney in Atlanta from The Reddy Law Firm, P.C. to protect your rights.
