Many women are sexually harassed while they are working on the job in Florida. A report by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission indicates that 7.9 percent of the charges filed with the agency in 2015 by Florida claimants were based on sexual harassment, making the state second only behind Texas for the highest percentage of sexual harassment complaints.
The EEOC reports that it received 6,822 complaints about sexual harassment in 2015. Out of those, 17.1 percent were filed by men. The agency reports that many people who face workplace sexual harassment never file complaints because of fears that they will lose their jobs if they do so.
If people are being sexually harassed at work, there are several steps that they can take. They should document each instance of sexual harassment, making certain to note any witnesses as well as the date, time and place it occurred. They should follow their company’s complaint procedure, making certain to do so in writing. If the employer does not resolve the problem, then they might want to file a complaint with the EEOC.
Victims may want to get sexual harassment legal assistance from an employment law attorney. Legal counsel may also help these clients to gather all of the evidence that they may need to support their complaint. If the EEOC decides not to take the case and sends a notice of the client’s right to sue, the attorney may then draft and file a formal lawsuit seeking appropriate damages that are based upon the client’s particular set of circumstances.
