Silver Spring Sexual Harassment Lawyer

Dedicated to Enforcing Workplace Respect & Equality

Work sexual harassment can take many forms. Sexual jokes, unwelcome touching, and explicit photos can all form the basis of a sexual harassment claim. Sexual harassment can also take insidious forms, such as taking credit for work, spreading rumors, and other negative behavior towards an individual, simply because of his or her gender.

Sexual harassment can be difficult to prove, since it often happens behind closed doors, and perpetrators may deny the behavior or claim it was a joke. If you are unsure whether a comment, action, or series of incidents amounts to sexual harassment, we can help identify these behaviors and recommend a course of action.

At Melehy & Associates, we stand up for the rights of workers who have been sexually harassed. No one should have to go to work every day and fear facing disrespect, lewd comments, or sexual advances. Our attorneys in Silver Spring are committed to serving the needs and improving the lives of our clients.

Don't suffer workplace harassment in silence. Contact our Silver Spring sexual harassment lawyer at (301) 205-5276 today for a confidential consultation.

What Are Some Examples of Sexual Harassment?

Sexual harassment comes in many forms, and while some signs of harassment are more obvious than others, each can be serious and create an uncomfortable work environment. Some common forms of sexual harassment in the workplace include:

• Unwanted touching, fondling, or hugging
• Exposing another employee to sexual content, including photographs or sexual aids
• Asking a co-worker for sexual favors
• Making obscene comments about a person's body
• Initiating unwanted flirts or suggestive comments
• Using sexual orientation as the butt of a joke
• Making crude gestures or innuendos
• Stalking a person both in and out of the workplace
• Taunting a co-worker about their sexual orientation
• Spreading sexual rumors or innuendos about a colleague
• Telling sexist or crude jokes
• Making groaning or hissing noises
• Asking personal questions about an employee's sex life
• Making explicit comments about an employee's appearance or clothing
• Asking a co-worker on a date repeatedly after they have said no
• Emailing or texting sexual jokes, content, or innuendos
• Sending sexually explicit emails or text messages

How to Report Sexual Harassment at Work

If you are the victim of sexual harassment, know that you do not have to put up with this behavior from your co-workers, clients, or employers. Reporting the harasser may be the last thing you want to do, but it is important to protect your rights and prevent further incidents. Plus, when victims of sexual harassment come forward, they often help those who may also have suffered harassment. Here are a few simple steps to follow when reporting sexual harassment in the workplace.

• Document Everything: As soon as the first instance of harassment occurs, make sure you document everything that occurred, noting the date, time, and location. Keep a notepad with you to jot down anything said or done that makes you feel uncomfortable.
• Talk to the Harasser: After documenting the inappropriate behavior and the timeline of incidents, let the harasser know that they are telling you or doing something that you find uncomfortable or unacceptable. Hopefully, this conversation will be all the harasser needs to stop the behavior, but if it does not, continue to move up the reporting ladder.
• Report the Harasser: If talking to the harasser did not get the problem solved, it is time to bring it to the company. Talk to your direct supervisor, letting them know that you are being harassed at work. Share your documentation and timeline.
• Use a Confidential Reporting System: If your supervisor brushes off your complaints and does nothing, go to human resources. Human resources is supposed to help resolve issues like these. Make sure to ask for a response, timeline and plan of action so you have a paper trail of your reports toward this behavior. Filing a complaint with HR is very important because HR is positioned to stop the abuse and mediate between you and the harasser. Secure copies of these papers and keep them in a safe space.
• Get a Lawyer: If you have spoken to your supervisor, your supervisor's boss, and HR, and the harassment continues with no changes, it is time to get a lawyer involved. Seek the best possible lawyer, to review your case and recommend a course of action. If the harassment continues or if the employer retaliates against you in any way, you may be able to take legal action against your employer.

What Are an Employer's Responsibilities When It Comes to Sexual Harassment at Work?

Federal law and Maryland state law require most employers and supervisors to take reasonable action to prevent sexual harassment and other forms of workplace sexual discrimination. These same laws also protect employees who experience reprisal for reporting sexual harassment or the sexually wrongful conduct of others. You probably have greater protection against employer retaliation than any other kind of workplace mistreatment or discrimination.

Requirements for Legal Employer Sexual Harassment Liability Include:

1. Employers must implement effective sexual harassment prevention policies and programs to eliminate harassment and remediate its effects on workers.
2. Employers must be proactive, preventative, promote awareness, train employees, provide channels for complaint and investigation, and must not tolerate retaliation. They must discipline workers and supervisors who violate their duties, and they must have strong policies and clear words-and-actions standards.
3. Employers must be able to prove that they took reasonable actions to prevent and respond to sexual harassment complaints and reports—and that they reasonably investigated all foreseeable methods.

If employers take timely appropriate remedial measures, they may entirely avoid liability for sexual harassment or retaliatory hostile work environment claims. Workers who face sexual harassment or retaliation should cooperate with investigations by providing required truthful facts.

However, if proper remediation has not been taken, you may have cause to move forward with a sexual harassment lawsuit.

Let Our Experienced Legal Team Advocate for You

If you have been a victim of sexual harassment, you have the right to a safe workplace. Silver Spring employers should take your grievances seriously and swiftly address your claims of sexual harassment. Furthermore, your employer can be held accountable for your harassment. The sexual harassment attorneys at Melehy & Associates LLC will fight to hold employers responsible for violating the rights of workers in Silver Spring and beyond.

Stand up for your rights and put our sexual harassment lawyers on your side. Contact Melehy & Associates at (301) 205-5276 for a confidential consultation.