Your Legal Advocate Against Sexual Harassment

Employers have practical as well as legal reasons to prevent and address sexual harassment. Not only does it damage the victim’s self-esteem and productivity, it also lowers the morale of the entire staff. Unfortunately, it still occurs in far too many workplaces.

If you’ve been subjected to sexual harassment, you must generally report it to human resources or a trusted manager/supervisor (someone who is not already involved in perpetrating harassment). If the harassment has been reported and the employer fails to remedy the situation adequately, the employer could be held liable in a sexual harassment lawsuit.

I’m attorney Jeffrey Ellison, and I am proud to advocate for women and men who have been victims of workplace sexual harassment. As an employment lawyer for nearly 35 years, I have cultivated the skills, experience and knowledge necessary to help you build a strong case against your employer and the person or people who harassed you. I will fight to restore your sense of dignity and to obtain the relief the law can give you.

The Two Categories Of Sexual Harassment

While many specific actions are considered harassment, there are essentially two categories of sexual harassment. The first is the creation of a hostile work environment. As the term suggests, those who perpetrate and/or tolerate sexual harassment create a hostile work environment for the victim or victims. Some examples include:

• Inappropriate and unwelcome comments of a sexual or flirtatious nature
• Unwelcome touching or leering stares
• Crude, inappropriate jokes that demean one or more employees or an entire gender
• The presence of drawings, pictures or videos depicting sex or pornography
• Persistent requests for dates

These are just a few of many types of behavior that create a hostile work environment.

The other type is known as quid pro quo sexual harassment. This occurs when a boss or manager offers to trade workplace/employment benefits for sex or sexual favors. It could also include job-related threats. Examples include:

• Offering a raise or promotion in exchange for sex or sexual acts
• Offering bonuses or other perks if you come to work wearing (or not wearing) certain items of clothing
• Threatening to fire or demote you if you don’t sleep with your boss.
• Threatening to fire or demote you if you don’t put up with unwanted sexual comments and behaviors.

Anyone Can Be A Victim

The most common case of sexual harassment is a man harassing a woman, but sexual harassment is illegal regardless of the genders involved. The perpetrators can be men or women, and their victims can be the opposite gender or the same.

Don’t Tolerate Harassment. Contact Me For A Free Phone Consultation.

EllisonLegal offers free initial phone consultations to prospective clients in Ann Arbor, Detroit and surrounding areas. To discuss your case with an experienced, compassionate attorney, call my firm at 734-887-6534. You can also reach me via email.