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Reporting sexual harassment at work can impact careers

On Behalf of | Jun 3, 2019 | Sexual Harassment At Work

Florida employees should be aware that sexual harassment in the workplace is illegal. In fact, many workplaces have hotlines where sexual harassment can be reported. Even so, many employees, particularly women, avoid making reports due to how the reports can potentially impact their career.

A survey showed that a woman who self-reported incidents of sexual harassment was less likely to be promoted even though she was following the guidelines for reporting sexual harassment. As such, not reporting harassment can become a strategic move. In many cases, women who report incidents of sexual harassment can be viewed by co-workers and supervisors as being overly sensitive or deceitful.

However, there are two ways that reporting sexual harassment in the workplace can become less risky. One way involves having bystanders report the sexual harassment on someone else’s behalf. Additionally, movements like #MeToo can also help remove the bias and stigma for those who do report sexual harassment. These types of movements can cause cultural shifts in how harassment and other social issues are viewed. It should still be noted, however, that this does not guarantee that a woman who reports sexual harassment will be treated fairly or that her career will not be stymied by the reporting.

Sexual harassment at work can have devastating effects on employees. In some cases, it can cause a person’s work performance to decrease. It can prevent someone from being promoted or furthering his or her career. It can also even result in serious emotional distress. South Florida sexual harassment legal assistance may be helpful if an employee is experiencing sexual harassment and believes that his or her work may be affected. An attorney may walk someone through the process of filing a report and even file a lawsuit against the employer retaliates for the reporting.