(Newswire.net — June 14, 2019) — Sexual harassment is something that most of us have at least a vague understanding of what it is. However, it is important to clarify that sexual harassment is any unwanted sexual advance in the workplace that makes you uncomfortable. This could be because you feel intimidated or at the very least offended. It is a scary situation and one that many find embarrassing. There is no reason why any victim ought to feel embarrassed by what has happened to them, but that is the stigma that society puts on us all.
There Are Laws To Protect You
A sexual harassment attorney will tell you that there are multiple federal and state laws that protect employees against sexual harassment in the workplace. It is important to realize that you are not expected to just accept being treated in a way that you are uncomfortable with. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act makes it very clear that this is something that is not lawful or acceptable.
The First Stages Of Harassment
West Coast employment lawyers frequently tell clients that the first stages of harassment are not necessarily the moments to come running to an attorney. If someone at work tells an inappropriate joke the best action for you to take is to probably ask them to stop and make it clear that you are uncomfortable about what they have said. This is not the moment for a sexual harassment lawyer to get involved in the case because it is far too hard to prove that there has been any violation of sexual harassment law at all.
It is important for you to take the first actions to tell someone to stop what they are doing so that it has been made clear that you have drawn those lines and that going forward the person ought not cross those lines again without potentially getting into violations of sexual harassment law.
Tell Supervisors About What Is Happening
The Supreme Court of the United States has ruled that an employee must inform the company of what is happening and allow them to try to intervene to solve the problem first. An employee who fails to take this step may be giving up their ability to file a lawsuit against the company itself. It is obvious very difficult to bring up this kind of situation in the first place, but you should do so to preserve your ability to hire West Coast employment lawyers to fight your case for you.
Document What Has Happened To You
Again, this is incredibly difficult for a person who has gone through an experience of sexual harassment to go through. They don’t want to think about it, talk about it, or let alone talk about it with someone else. They don’t want to have to document this kind of thing, but it is critically important to remember to do this because it is going to make a case a lot easier to make in court.
All instances must be documented at length and should be presented to a sexual harassment lawyer when you go to speak to them. They can tell from the information that you have written down if you likely have a case or not going forward. They can help guide you through the path that you need to go on to get through the legal system and get the results that work best for you.
Make A Complaint To A Government Agency Before Filing Suit
Do not necessarily run to a sexual harassment attorney as the first thing that you do after you have reported your claims to the company and also documented them. You should try to make sure to report them to government agencies as well. There are government agencies that are specifically around to take in reports of harassment of any kind.
The EEOC is the government agency that is best suited to handle this kind of claim. Speak to them about your claims right away and make sure you submit all the documents about your case as well.
What Can You Expect From An Attorney
An attorney is absolutely there to help you make the right choices and to guide you through the lengthy court processes. It is so much easier to get through these things with the guide of an attorney.
You should expect your attorney to take your case seriously and to ask you a lot of questions. You should expect them to investigate your claims and to file all of the necessary legal paperwork that is necessary to move the case forward. You should also expect them to be in touch with you through each step of the process. You must understand that they are busy people and have a lot to do, but they are also your biggest advocates and should be there to explain things as you go along.
Your attorney needs to push hard to fight for your case all the way to its conclusion. They must be able to work with the other side to come to a settlement, but they need to also be able to push hard when things get tough. At the end of the day it is their responsibility to get you as big of a settlement as possible.
You Deserve A Legal Win
It is your right to bring a lawsuit to court, and you deserve to be represented by the very best of the best out there. You need to have the ability to work your case through the courts to its natural conclusion. You also deserve to get as much money from the proceedings as possible. You are not doing anything wrong by seeking those funds. The courts have long ago determined that those who are sexually harassed have been harmed in some way, and monetary compensation may be just about the only way that we can set this straight. That is what a lawyer can do for you, and that is why you need to investigate hiring one today.