There are many ways to report sexual harassment

There are many reasons that New York workers may feel uncomfortable at work. They may worry that they are not doing their job well or that their boss does not like them. In more serious situations, employees may feel a sense of dread going to work because they face sexual harassment from co-workers or managers.

When harassment takes place, the common advice is to report the actions to the human resources department. However, not every company has such a department. Fortunately, harassment victims can still work to have the misconduct stopped by speaking to the harasser or a manager. Expressing to the harasser that the actions are inappropriate may be enough to get the person to stop. If it is not or if a worker feels unsafe confronting the harasser, it may be wise to file a complaint with management. 

Managers have a duty to make sure that these complaints are taken seriously and investigated. If a victim does come forth with a claim and no appropriate action is taken to address it, the individual may want to go further and file a report with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. If the place of employment has over 15 workers, those workers are covered under federal law that protect them from such harassment and can result in employers being held liable for not properly handling complaints.

Many people who face sexual harassment at work feel alone. They may think their jobs are at risk if they complain or that they will face some type of other retaliation from their employers or the harassers. Fortunately, New York workers facing these types of concerns can enlist the help of experienced attorneys to help them understand their legal options.

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