Sexual Harassment Attorney in Philadelphia

Workplace sexual harassment in Pennsylvania refers to unwanted and unwelcome comments and sexual advances from a manager, CEO, company associate, employee, supervisor or customer against a job applicant or an employee. This falls under the umbrella of sex discrimination at work, and both state and federal laws protect employees from sex discrimination in workplaces and sexual harassment. It is important to recognize that if you've been the victim of sexual harassment, it can be a big mistake to allow this to continue happening. While multiple instances of sexual harassment may ultimately bolster your claim, you have a maximum of 180 days from the incident to file a sexual harassment claim involving an employer. You need someone who is prepared to gather all of the appropriate evidence to support your claim and someone who will continue to stand by you as your complaint is filed in the courts. 

There are many different challenges that can emerge in a Philadelphia sexual harassment claim, and you should have a lawyer who will walk through each aspect of your suit with you from the first court paperwork to the settlement conversations. 

The attorneys at Morgan & Morgan know how difficult it is to come forward with a sexual harassment claim, especially if you feel as though your employer will retaliate against you or attempt to minimize your claim altogether. This is why we take it so seriously to assist you with crafting a sexual harassment claim with the right evidence and support and why we have developed a track record for going above and beyond for victims.

When someone else makes unwanted sexual comments or advances against a job applicant or an employee, someone else, such as an HR supervisor or the person who made these advances or comments, may argue that this is a gray area. Understanding the facts about sexual harassment in Pennsylvania will help you to better understand when you have become a victim and when you have the legal right to move forward with a claim. 

Sexual harassment can happen between people of the same sex or a man and a woman and does not have to happen only on the property of the workplace itself. For example, someone attending a holiday function or sports game with other employees for a work meeting or event could also be the victim of sexual harassment. 

Sexually explicit jokes, photos, verbal statements, stalking, criminal sexual actions, unwanted advances, and written communications can all be examples of sexual harassment. Sexual harassment can happen at any time, even if two people are in a known committed or intimate relationship. 

Also important to note, someone does not necessarily need to be your boss in order to perpetrate sexual harassment. Other parties could include a non-employee, coworker, or supervisor. Even gender-related terms that you find offensive could also fit the bill for a sexual harassment claim. 

Even if these are not the primary crux of your argument against the person who is causing you to be a victim of sexual harassment, these can help to make an overall case that a pattern of sexual harassment was exhibited against you. The right sexual harassment lawyer in Philadelphia will assist you as you prepare for your sexual harassment at work claim and will be there to help you through every aspect of a litigation process.

In the workplace in Philadelphia, there are several different kinds of sexual harassment at work. There are two primary types. The first is a hostile work environment. This occurs when an employee or job applicant is subjected to unwanted sexual conduct or unwanted comments, and it in some serious way impacts the workplace overall. This means that an employee's ability to do their job has been compromised. Sexually explicit jokes, for example, could change working conditions and create a hostile work environment, but other examples of hostile work environment situations in Philadelphia include unwelcome touching, inappropriate sexual advances, stalking, emailing sexually explicit comics, jokes or pornography or other behaviors that are not wanted. 

The second example of a type of sexual harassment claim in Philadelphia is quid pro quo, which means this for that. Employment advances or other benefits may be given in exchange for sexual favors or acts and an employee may be subject to feel as though they may be unable to attain these employment related benefits or be subjected to retaliation if they fail to comply. Being denied a promotion or assignment or wrongful termination for rejecting sexual advances is an example of a quid pro quo sexual harassment action in Philadelphia. Furthermore, online sexual harassment can also impact an employee. You need to know that you're not alone in these difficult situations and that you should instead get legal counsel to understand your options. 

Many employees working remotely or in a hybrid sense could still be subject to unwanted sexual harassment. This can include things, such as sexual bullying, cyber stalking, sending messages with asks for sexual favors, sending sexual messages via text, making unreasonable/unwelcome comments in online meetings, posting revenge porn about a coworker or sending social media text message or email comments with sexual jokes. Employers, business associates and coworkers may be more likely to harass you when behind the protection of a keyboard, but you still have the right to work in a work environment free from sexual harassment. Sexual harassment in Philadelphia can take many forms and it is always best to consult with an experienced and qualified lawyer. 

There are two different types of evidence that you may bring forward with a Philadelphia sexual harassment lawyer. The first is known as direct evidence. This is a direct link between a negative employment action and a type of sexual harassment. For example, if your boss says that you will be terminated if you do not perform sexual favors, this is a form of direct evidence in your sexual harassment claim. Disparate evidence, however, is the other kind of example which occurs when you can show a link between negative employment actions and sexual harassment behavior through a series of circumstances. For example, if you have continually asked someone to stop making sexual jokes in the workplace and they fail to do so, and you report this to HR, this is an example of disparate evidence. Having qualified attorneys, such as those working at Morgan & Morgan on your side can really help you to recover compensation. Finding the right sexual harassment lawyer in Philadelphia can be complicated, but it's also a very important step forward in your case.

Protect your rights and hold the relevant parties accountable by retaining a dedicated sexual harassment lawyer who will give you the support that you need during this extremely challenging time. 

To get more information, please contact Morgan & Morgan for a free, confidential, and no-obligation case evaluation.