Regardless of where someone works or what type of employment an individual has, he or she should not be subjected to mistreatment in a Florida workplace. Unfortunately, sexual harassment and other types of unacceptable behavior are common in virtually every field, including the health care industry. Reporting harassment can be difficult, and there are reports of retaliation and additional complications for those who do choose to speak out.
A Tampa-area nurse decided to speak up about harassment she was experiencing at the hands of a physician she worked with. Instead of getting help and accountability for the aggressor, she was reassigned, moved to a different schedule and eventually had to walk away from her job. All of this happened to the victim, while the physician went without any consequences. Unfortunately, this is not an isolated incident.
Statistics indicate that nurses actually experience harassment in the workplace at an alarming rate. Unwanted touching, aggressive actions and suggestive remarks are all examples of ways sexual harassment can happen. When a doctor acts in this way toward a nurse, the nurse may feel that he or she is unable to speak out because of the physician’s position of authority. Any type of harassment should be immediately reported to superiors.
When workplace sexual harassment is reported, the victim has the right to expect his or her Florida employer will take the appropriate steps to deal with it. This means holding the appropriate parties accountable and taking other necessary steps. In some cases, a victim of sexual harassment could have grounds to move forward with a civil claim.
