If a co-worker's comments to you are lewd in nature and you have been propositioned or threatened with physical touching during a couple occasions, you may be fearful about what will happen during a subsequent shift. Sexual harassment includes verbal statements and physical actions. Nobody deserves to be propositioned while they are at work and you have every right to report what has occurred and seek protection from further harassment.
You May Not Be Ready to Tell Your Boss
If you feel embarrassed or ashamed by what has occurred, it can be difficult to verbalize the sexual threats and you may be inclined to keep a low profile while working. It is all right to avoid broaching the topic for the time being, but you need to speak to someone about the problem, before the issue becomes larger. If you believe that you were assertive during each encounter and told your co-worker to leave you alone, this may temporarily stop the perpetrator from harassing you.
However, if you think that your safety is in jeopardy and are having trouble completing your job responsibilities, due to your concern, consulting with a lawyer who handles sexual harassment matters can be beneficial. A lawyer will advise you of your rights, tell you the standard protocol involving a situation that is similar to yours, and help you regain your confidence. If you have a human resource officer on your job site or a manager who oversees your department, you may be advised to divulge what happened to one of them.
Employers are required to take responsibility when it comes to sexual harassment matters. You cannot be fired, demoted, or treated differently than normal for reporting an incident. Reporting an incident is a way to protect yourself. The documentation will prove that you were concerned about what occurred and that you wish for the behavior to stop altogether.
Your Identity Will Not Be Revealed
Your sexual harassment attorney can assist you with preparing a description of what occurred between you and the co-worker. This description can be used in the informal complaint that you provide at your place of employment. It will be your employer's responsibility to look into the matter and take action, if warranted.
The co-worker will be warned to stop their behavior and if their actions are deemed as severe, the individual may be terminated. Nobody at your place of employment will be alerted to what went on. Stay in touch with your lawyer to let them know if the situation has been resolved or if you are interested in filing formal charges against the perpetrator.
Share18 February 2020
Starting a home business is a great idea, but never think that it should not be incorporated. As I learned the hard way, working with an attorney to set up the business properly offers a lot of protections. I figured no one would want to bother with me and my little operation. As things began to take off, a copycat business sporting the same name and a slightly altered logo popped up on the scene. The copycat was able to nab some of my hard-earned business and left me out in the cold. It took help from a business attorney to protect my brand and get things back on track. If you think it's okay to wait until later to legally structure your operation, think again. Let me tell you more about what I should have done early on and why. Listen closely and I'll save you some grief.