Columbus Workplace Sexual Harassment Lawyer

Every day, you go to work to earn a living that will support you and your family. You never expected to become the victim of sexual harassment when you only tried to do your job. After experiencing sexual harassment, it is natural to feel upset and confused about what to do next. You may even be tempted to do nothing, especially if you are unsure of whether you were actually harassed.

Today, workplace sexual harassment is typically very subtle, so it is easy to question whether it happened at all. However, if you feel uncomfortable going to work because of someone else’s actions or because they have made you fear going to work, sexual harassment may have taken place. Our Columbus workplace sexual harassment lawyer can help you make things right.

Quid Pro Quo vs. a Hostile Work Environment

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act outlines two types of workplace sexual harassment. The first is quid pro quo, which does not happen as often today as it once did. Quid pro quo refers to something of value being exchanged for something else, which is usually sexual, intimate, or romantic in nature. For example, a manager may offer a subordinate a promotion if they agree to go on a date with them.

Workplace sexual harassment that creates a hostile work environment is not as obvious as quid pro quo harassment. A hostile work environment is created when a person engages in harassing behavior in a pervasive manner. One incident is not enough to create a hostile work environment. The behavior must be persistent and ongoing. For a hostile work environment to exist, the behavior must also interfere with the worker’s ability to do their job.

Common Examples of Sexual Harassment in the Workplace

Sexual harassment in the workplace is often not reported because victims are often unsure if it even happened. A Columbus workplace sexual harassment lawyer can advise on whether a specific behavior is classified as harassment. However, there are some common examples, and they are as follows:

• Sending employees emails and text messages that are sexual in nature
• Gifting employees with presents that are sexual in nature
• Starting or contributing to rumors about an employee’s sexual activity
• Touching employees in an inappropriate manner
• Telling jokes that are sexual in nature
• Distributing photos among employees that are sexually implicit
• Asking about an employee’s sex life
• Discussing another employee’s sex life in front of customers, co-workers, and other people
• Commenting on an employee’s physical appearance, mainly when the comments are constant

Generally speaking, if any behavior would make another reasonable person feel uncomfortable, there is a good chance sexual harassment has occurred.

Call Our Workplace Sexual Harassment Lawyer in Columbus for Help With Your Case

If someone has made you feel uncomfortable at work and you think you are being harassed, our Columbus workplace sexual harassment lawyer can help. At Marshall, Forman & Schlein, LLC, our seasoned attorneys can review the facts of your case and inform you of your legal options so you can claim the damages you deserve. Call us now or contact us online to schedule a consultation with one of our experienced attorneys.