Suppose you were at a work event celebrating a big project you just worked hard on, only to spend the evening uncomfortable because of the lewd proposition a coworker made to you. This is not the first time you have been made to feel uncomfortable by inappropriate comments and other bad behaviors by the same coworker. Your company has a very strong work hard, play hard mentality and you really enjoy your job, so you worry that if you were to bring attention to your coworker, it could cause negative effects for your career. Is that the appropriate time to go speak with a qualified lawyer?

How Can a Lawyer Help?

An experienced lawyer, like an employment litigation lawyer Washington DC from Eric Siegel Law, can help you work through the harassment you are facing at work. Being sexually harassed in the workplace can cause a lot of questions that you should have an answer to prior to deciding the next step you would like to take. Some of these questions include:

• Was this sexual harassment as the law defines it?
• How should you respond to the person who harassed you?
• Should you report the harassment?
• Is there anything you can do to protect yourself against any harassment in the future?
• Is there anything you can do to prevent your employer from taking any retaliating steps against you for reporting the harassment? 

What Exactly Is Sexual Harassment?

It is considered sexual harassment if there are any unwanted sexual advances, asking for any sexual favors, or any type of physical or verbal conduct in a sexual manner that would create an offensive or hostile work atmosphere. As the law defines sexual harassment, there are some comments that may be viewed as offensive but are not necessarily considered sexual harassment. If you are in a situation where you feel you have been sexually harassed, you may want to speak with an experienced employment lawyer to determine if this behavior will be viewed as sexual harassment in the eyes of the law. 

Speak with a Lawyer Before Reporting

There may need to be certain steps taken to protect your rights. For instance, your employer may have a policy that states you are to report any potential sexual harassment to their manager or human resources in order for the harasser to be held accountable. Working with an experienced lawyer can help you determine to whom the best person to report the harassment is. A lawyer can also work with you to create a detailed record of the behavior. By working with a lawyer, you can feel confident when addressing your company.

Schedule a Consultation

An experienced employment lawyer can help you feel confident about your sexual harassment case. Experiencing sexual harassment in the workplace is a frustrating and scary event. You deserve to have someone on your side to help make the best decisions for your case. Schedule a consultation today.