Even The Odds In Your Fight For Employee Rights
Photo of American flag for Memorial Day, 4th of July, Labour Day

Explaining modern attitudes toward sexual harassment

On Behalf of | Dec 20, 2017 | Sexual Harassment At Work

When it comes to sexual harassment, age may play a significant role in how it is dealt with by Florida workers and others. Those who are older may be more likely to simply try to move past inappropriate encounters while younger workers may be more likely to report such behavior. One researcher believes that generational attitudes toward power at work may be better able to explain the difference in how sexual harassment is perceived.

Instead of the boss-employee dynamic, younger workers see everyone working together. This may make them more likely to expect that someone who engages in inappropriate behavior be held accountable for their actions. Furthermore, there is a sense that workers shouldn’t be blindly loyal to their employers. If a worker isn’t treated right, moving on may be more of an option than it was in the past.

Data also suggests that those engaging in inappropriate behavior aren’t supervisors or those in power. A poll done by Fairygodboss found that 57 percent of respondents were harassed by colleagues compared to 36 percent who were harassed by their bosses. As with many shifts in how society sees an issue, technology is credited for making people more aware of sexual harassment and how large the problem actually is in the workplace.

Workers in Boca Raton, Florida, may wish to seek sexual harassment legal assistance if they have experienced harassment in the workplace. It may be illegal to discriminate against a worker based on gender or other protected characteristics. Examples of sexual harassment may include jokes, unwanted advances or being treated differently because of gender. If a claim is successful, it may be possible for a worker to win compensation such as punitive damages depending on the facts of a case.