Palm Beach Gardens Sexual Harassment Attorney

It is against the law for an employer to discriminate against employees or job applicants on the basis of sex. This prohibition on sex discrimination has long been understood to include harassment based on sex. In broad terms, any unwelcome sexual advances or conduct in the workplace may qualify as sexual harassment.

If you have been the subject of such unwanted advances, you do not have to sit there and do nothing. You have the right to take legal action against your employer. A qualified Palm Beach sexual harassment attorney can review your case and apprise you of your options. At the Sconzo Law Office, P.A., we have assisted many clients in putting a stop to sexual harassment and obtaining appropriate compensation.

Defining Sexual Harassment in the Workplace

There are two basic types of sexual harassment recognized as illegal sex discrimination: quid pro quo harassment and hostile work environment harassment.

With quid pro quo harassment, a manager or supervisor usually conditions certain employment benefits on an employee or job applicant providing a sexual favor. This can be something as overt as promising to hire or promote someone who sleeps with the supervisor. But it can also cover more subtle cases, such as where a supervisor simply hints an employee might have a better chance of getting a promotion if they go out on a date.

Hostile work environment, in contrast, applies to a much broader range of conduct. The basic legal concept here is that if an employee is subjected to harassing conduct so pervasive that it interferes with their ability to do their job, that is a hostile work environment. This can include repeated requests for sexual favors as in quid pro quo harassment. But it can also mean unwelcome physical conduct–touching a person in a sexually suggestive manner–and making sexual jokes. It can also include making sexual comments about a person’s body.

Even when the hostile work environment is created by a co-worker and not a direct supervisor, the employer can still be held legally liable if it did not take reasonable steps to either prevent or put a stop to such acts of sexual harassment. All Florida employers should have a sexual harassment policy and encourage employees to report any incidents. But if an employer has no such policy–or has one but fails to enforce it–then the employee often has no choice but to pursue independent legal action.

Contact the Sconzo Law Office Today

Sexual harassment is not a minor problem. No employee should have to tolerate such discriminatory acts in the workplace. And if you have been the victim of harassment, you do have legal options to remedy the situation.

Our Palm Beach Garden sexual harassment attorneys can represent you in filing a formal charge with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission or the Florida Commission on Human Rights, which is the first step towards pursuing legal action. So if you need to speak with a lawyer, contact the Sconzo Law Office, P.A., today to schedule a complimentary consultation.