Sexual harassment doesn’t have to rise to the level of some shocking scandal splashed across the headlines for it to be unlawful.
Sexual harassment in the workplace is rarely about romance or sex; it’s about power and control, and about chipping away at your sense of safety at work until you question your own instincts, professional abilities, and self-worth.
This is why knowing what counts as sexual harassment, how to protect yourself legally, and when to call sexual harassment lawyers is a self-preservation power move. Take action now and feel better immediately.
Keep reading for key legal insights, or take a deeper dive on our Workplace Sexual Harassment practice page.
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What is Sexual Harassment?
This is one of the primary questions that sexual harassment lawyers are asked to explain.
Sexual harassment is a serious civil rights violation targeting employees with workplace harassment that is directly or indirectly sexual in nature. Sexual harassment can shatter careers, health, and dignity.
Cornell Law School lays out the basics of the law itself, which identifies sexual harassment as “unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature,” so long as certain conditions are met.
Essentially, sexual harassment comes in two main forms recognized by the courts:
- quid pro quo: suggesting or requiring an exchange of something sexual for a desired outcome. A great example of quid pro quo sexual harassment is a boss withholding or teasing the prospect of a raise or promotion unless you agree to a dinner, a “date,” a sexual act, or similar.
- hostile work environment: this is characterized by ongoing harassment that makes the workplace intolerable. Examples include:
- repeated comments about your body shape, a supervisor’s “jokes” about your sex life, or constant shoulder squeezes in the break room count
- offhand remarks that make you cringe, an invitation that feel less like “networking” and more like a trap, or the way a coworker showing you sexual material at work
- Notably, while a single incident may not be enough to establish a hostile work environment claim, it can if the incident is especially atrocious.
Both are illegal. Both are harmful. And both call for a legal response.
If you have any questions about whether the situation you’re experiencing amounts to sexual harassment, getting a free consultation from top sexual harassment lawyers is a great place to start.
Sexual Harassment Can Happen to Anyone. Not only does it impact workers at all levels, but victims can be women or men and harassment can involve opposite sex or same-sex targeting.
How Many People Report Sexual Harassment Per Year… Is It a Real Thing?
As sexual harassment lawyers will tell you, it isn’t just real, it’s common.
In fact, there’s no surprise that in recent years, we’ve seen story after story about celebrities, CEOs, and high-powered executives being sued, exposed, or even charged for harassment and discrimination against employees.
The reality is that sexual harassment in the workplace affects people at every level, from the barista making lattes to the accountant crunching numbers in a cubicle and the CFO trying to help run the company.
Some key sexual harassment stats:
- The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) reports that thousands of sexual harassment claims are filed every single year.
- Some years, it’s well over 12,000 complaints in one single year.
- And these numbers don’t even capture the iceberg beneath the surface: the countless workers who never report because they’re afraid of retaliation, losing their job, or simply not being believed.
The stories may dominate headlines when it involves Hollywood or Wall Street, but they’re happening in offices, restaurants, factories, hospitals, and schools across California, New York, New Jersey, San Francisco, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, and beyond.
Which brings us right back to why sexual harassment lawyers are not some luxury item- they’re often the only way to level the playing field when your employer thinks they can get away with breaking the law.
What Type of Lawyer Handles Sexual Harassment at Work?
If you’re being subject to sexual harassment at work, you don’t need general lawyers – you need sexual harassment lawyers.
Because sexual harassment is a form of employment discrimination, you should reach out to employment discrimination attorneys who have the specific knowledge and experience to identity as sexual harassment lawyers.
Sexual harassment lawyers focus on employment law, civil rights, and discrimination in the context of workplace sexual harassment.
Sexual harassment lawyers are highly equipped to help with all aspects of your claim, including:
- the ins and outs of filing complaints with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)
- identifying, gathering, and preserving legally powerful evidence
- identifying and dealing with potential witnesses
- spotting, navigating, and proving employer retaliation, both overt and covert
- filing sexual harassment lawsuits
- anticipating defenses and excuses used by the accused
- spotting weak HR “investigations”
- framing your story so it gets taken seriously and building the strongest legal case on your behalf
- optimizing compensation for the various levels of harm you suffer as a result of being a victim of sexual harassment- professional and career harm, financial harm, emotional and mental harm, etc.
A sexual harassment lawyer has one focus – protecting employees like you from workplace vultures who think they have an easy meal.
Experience is everything in these cases. Sexual harassment lawyers with years of experience have walked into federal courts, state agencies, and settlement conferences across California, New York, New Jersey, and more – so they know how each venue plays out.
They understand local protections in places like Miami, Los Angeles, and Philadelphia, and they can use those laws to your advantage.
Can a Sexual Harassment Lawyer Help Me?
Yes! If you are the victim of sexual harassment in the workplace, whether the abuse is coming from a boss or supervisor, a colleague, a client, or third party contact, sexual harassment lawyers can help you pin down the responsible party and build a case.
Sexual harassment lawyers aren’t just someone who files lawsuits. They’re your advocate and the defender of your legal rights to fair and equitable treatment at work.
Sexual harassment lawyers explain complicated legal rights in plain English, they deal with intimidating employers and HR departments, and they create strategies for justice.
When Should You Talk Sexual Harassment Lawyers?
The right time to contact sexual harassment lawyers is today. Waiting only helps your employer build their defense, sabotage your record and reputation, and gaslight.
But practically speaking, here are the top 4 times when you should absolutely call sexual harassment lawyers:
- You reported the sexual harassment to HR, and nothing happened.
- The harasser is in an elevated position at your work (like a high-level manager, boss, or executive) and HR is too cozy with them to act or for you to feel comfortable reporting it.
- You’ve been demoted, fired, or retaliated against after reporting sexual harassment.
- You’ve suffered a consequence after refusing sexual extortion in exchange for better work, more pay, or similar, or after making direct requests for the harassment to end.
- The sexual harassment is ongoing, and you dread going to work or have sustained other meaningful mental and emotional stress or trauma.
Though candidly, if you’re situation is significant enough that you’re researching your legal rights and options, getting a free consultation from top sexual harassment lawyers is the best path to personal and career recovery and protection.
How many mornings have you sat in the parking lot rehearsing what you’ll say if your harasser corners you again?
How many times have you laughed something off, only to cry about it later at home or unfairly feel bad about yourself for not speaking out?
How often have you told yourself, “It’s not that bad,” while secretly dreading going to work the next day?
How many times have you ignored the knot in your stomach and tried to push through?
How many times have you been forced to “give in” to the harassment and abuse out of fear of losing your job, harming your career, not being able to pay your bills, and similar?
If any of these scenarios ring a bell, it’s time to stop searching “sexual harassment lawyer near me” and start calling one now. Whether you’re in NYC, NJ, or anywhere else, there are sexual harassment lawyers ready to fight for you.
How to Hire Sexual Harassment Lawyers
Hiring the right lawyer can feel overwhelming, especially when you’re already dealing with stress. But here’s a quick roadmap:
- Look for experience in employment law, discrimination cases, and sexual harassment. Not every civil rights lawyer handles workplace sexual harassment.
- Check their track record. Workplace sexual harassment lawyers should have successful outcomes in both settlements and trials.
- Ask about strategy. Some lawyers push settlements; others are trial-ready pit bulls. Decide what fits your comfort level.
- Understand the fees. Some work on contingency (meaning they only get paid if you win).
- See if you feel heard. This one is underrated. If you talk to a lawyer who treats you like a case number, move on to the next one. Find the right fit!
At Consumer Justice Law Firm, our very own Janelle Romero has earned a reputation as a fierce advocate for harassment survivors. She’s more than just a legal mind; she’s a voice for employees who’ve been made to feel powerless.
Our team of sexual harassment lawyers give you a fighting chance against discrimination and hold your employer accountable for breaking the law or failing to prevent others to do so.
GET JUSTICE! Fight Sexual Harassment
At the end of the day, hiring sexual harassment lawyers isn’t about revenge; it’s about justice, dignity, and making sure what happened to you doesn’t happen to the next person in your workplace.
If you’re stuck googling “sexual harassment lawyer near me” while sitting in San Francisco traffic, or scrolling for lawyers for harassment in Miami, or desperately searching from your NYC apartment, remember this: help is closer than you think.
At Consumer Justice Law Firm, we are nationwide, so we’re always local. We are an employment law firm dedicated to protecting your rights so you don’t have to settle for suffering in silence.
When it comes to workplace sexual harassment, justice doesn’t just happen. You have to demand it. And we’re ready to demand it with you. Call us today to learn more.
FREE Consultations! We only get paid when we win and the companies we sue pay our legal bills. No Justice, No Fee.™