Palm Beach Gardens Quid Pro Quo Sexual Harassment Attorney
Sexual harassment is a form of illegal sex discrimination under federal and Florida state law. There are, broadly speaking, two common forms of sexual harassment: Hostile work environment harassment and quid pro quo harassment.
If you have been a victim of the latter, you do not have to sit still and do nothing. An experienced Palm Beach Gardens quid pro quo sexual harassment attorney can represent you in taking legal action against the employer. At the Sconzo Law Office, P.A., we have assisted clients in obtaining monetary damages for being subjected to such offensive and illegal conduct.
Has Your Boss Demanded Sexual Favors?
Simply defined, quid pro quo harassment is when a supervisor suggests, requests, or demands a sexual favor from an employee in exchange for some employment-related benefit. It also covers the reverse situation. That is, it is also quid pro quo harassment if a supervisor threatens, demotes, reassigns, or otherwise punishes an employee who refuses a sexual advance.
Here are just a few hypothetical examples of quid pro quo harassment in the workplace:
- A hiring manager interviews a job applicant. The manager suggests the applicant may be hired if they agree to have sex or enter into a personal relationship.
- A supervisor and an employee are already in a consensual relationship. The employee wishes to break things off. The supervisor threatens to fire the employee if she does.
- A supervisor offers an employee a raise if they agree to go out on a date.
In short, quid pro quo sexual harassment requires some proof of a “this for that” exchange that is somehow sexual in nature. The parties involved must also be in a position where one has the ability to affect the other’s conditions of employment. In other words, if two employees are in a consensual relationship and things end badly, that is not considered a form of quid pro quo harassment, provided that one is not the supervisor of the other.
It is also possible for third parties to pursue claims for quid pro quo sexual harassment. For instance, say a female employee does agree to a male supervisor’s sexual advances in exchange for a promotion. The other female employees who were up for that same promotion might have a viable claim for quid pro quo sexual harassment. In some cases a widespread policy of such “sexual favoritism” might even rise to the level of hostile work environment harassment.
Contact the Sconzo Law Office Today
If you have been fired or otherwise negatively affected at work after refusing a supervisor’s sexual advances, you have the right to take legal action. A court may award you damages including back pay, reinstatement to your prior job if you were fired or demoted, and other forms of compensation. A qualified Palm Beach Gardens quid pro quo sexual harassment attorney can review the specific facts of your case and provide you with legal advice tailored to your situation.
So if you need to speak with an attorney right away, contact the Sconzo Law Office, P.A., today to schedule a complimentary consultation.
