Sexual Harassment in the Arizona Workplace

    PHOENIX, AZ, September 13, 2009 /24-7PressRelease/ -- When you are the victim of receiving unwanted sexual advances from a fellow co-worker or supervisor the shame and emotional weight can be difficult and traumatic to deal with. You have fears of losing your job, or embarrassed about coming forward about the individuals responsible. It is possible that you may have already come forward and the sexual advances have continued without proper administrative action. An Arizona personal injury attorney will be sensitive and concerned about your case, and ensure that the individuals committing this crime are held accountable for their actions.

According to www.sexualharassmentsupport.org, in 2007 there were over 12,000 cases of sexual harassment in the workplace that were reported to the Equal Opportunity Employment Commission (EOCC). Not all of these cases are female, 16% of the cases filed in 2007 were men.

Anyone can be a victim of sexual harassment in the workplace. There have been many cases throughout the Tempe, Mesa, Scottsdale, and Phoenix area dealing with the issue of sexual assault.

Unfortunately many of these cases go unreported and the victims are left to leave their job, or deal with the harassment on a daily basis. Taking action against the parties responsible is a difficult step for many victims. Some of the factors that could be preventing you from taking the right step include:

Reasons victims do not come forward

• Fear about losing job
• You may be too embarrassed about the experience
• You may feel ashamed about the experience
• You may be experiencing guilt, or blaming yourself for what happened
• Fear that other coworkers will treat you differently

There are also many different kinds of sexual harassment in the workplace. In some cases verbal and other behaviors can be deemed just as offensive by the victim. Some examples of the different kinds of sexual harassment include:

Types of Sexual Harassment in the Workplace

• Quid pro quo - When an employer or supervisor suggests a "something for something" type of arrangement. An employer may be offering a job benefit or a promotion if in exchange they receive a date or submission to other sexual advances. This type of situation can really pose legal liability especially if there is evidence that the supervisor or employer withheld professional benefits because an employee did not succumb to advances.
• Offensive sexual materials can be responsible for creating a hostile work environment. Sexually themed jokes or offensive materials in the common office space can be labeled as sexual harassment.
• Unwanted physical contact can cause serious liability for the employer depending the severity of the situation and the number of times it occurs.
• Verbal abuse - continuous sexual advances from a co-worker can make the work environment uncomfortable especially when the appropriate administrative action is not taken.

Contact an Arizona Personal Injury Attorney

If you are a victim of sexual harassment in Maricopa county and surrounding areas you should contact an Arizona personal injury attorney to discuss your options for compensation. In some cases the denial of sexual advances has lead to unfair termination and other professional backlash. The employer or company needs to be held responsible for handling your sexual harassment case poorly and inefficiently. For more information please contact: www.solomonrelihan.com

# # #