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Sexual harassment is a pervasive problem that affects thousands of workers in the US. Sexual harassment can interfere with an employee’s ability to work. It can also cause significant emotional distress.
In some cases, a worker’s negative response to sexual harassment can lead to adverse employment actions, such as wrongful job termination or retaliation.
At Sweeney Merrigan Law, LLP, our employment attorneys represent victims of workplace sexual harassment in Boston.
If you have experienced this type of wrongdoing, please do not hesitate to contact us at (617)-391-9001 for a free case review. Your employer may owe you compensation.
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Workplace sexual harassment can describe any unwanted or unsolicited sexual behaviors, comments, requests or actions at work.
If a coworker, supervisor, manager, contractor, client, customer or someone else at work makes you feel uncomfortable or commits a sexual crime against you, contact our award-winning lawyers for a free consultation. We can let you know if you have grounds for a lawsuit in Boston after reviewing your case.
Sexual harassment in the workplace can look like:
The definition of sexual harassment is broad. Dozens of actions and behaviors could constitute sexual harassment in the workplace.
The action must have been severe and/or persistent enough to create an offensive or hostile work environment, make the employee feel unsafe, or interfere with his or her ability to work to qualify as harassment.
In general, an isolated incident of harassment that is not very serious or simple teasing will not give you grounds to file a harassment suit.
Between 2018 and 2021, there were over 27,000 sexual harassment claims filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) in the United States. In Boston alone, more than 20% of voters reported experiencing workplace sexual harassment in 2018.
The first step to stopping sexual harassment is reporting the conduct to your supervisor. You’ll also have to file a claim with the EEOC. They’ll investigate and determine whether to take action–and if they don’t, you still have the right to sue for damages.
The process for getting justice can be complex. Our discrimination lawyers will stand by you every step of the way. All you have to do is call to schedule a free consultation to learn more about creating an attorney client relationship.
For most victims of workplace harassment, stopping the abuse is extremely valuable. However, don’t overlook the impact that sexual harassment can have on your life. You might have missed out on career opportunities or suffered significant emotional trauma because of a hostile work environment. Sexual harassment can even impact your physical health.
It can be hard to put a price tag on those types of losses. Our Boston sexual harassment attorneys have over 30 years of combined experience handling cases like yours. We know the right questions to ask–and how to value your complex losses.
The value of your Boston sexual harassment case can depend on many factors, including:
Don’t underestimate the effects of workplace sexual harassment. Whether you were harassed by your boss, a co-worker, or even a client, you have legal rights. Our attorneys at Sweeney Merrigan Law, LLP are here to help you enforce those rights.
Sexual harassment victims are entitled to take legal action to hold their harassers and employers accountable. You may be entitled to economic damages to compensate for the financial losses you’ve suffered.
Examples of the types of economic damages available include:
You can also recover non-economic damages to make up for your intangible losses.
Non-economic damages often include:
You could even be entitled to punitive damages in especially severe cases.
Remember, employers are responsible for the acts of their employees in these cases. It’s up to your employer and supervisors to take action to prevent workplace harassment in the first place.
If they fail, our lawyers in Boston will fight to hold them financially accountable.
Victims of sexual harassment often suffer:
At Sweeney Merrigan Law, LLP, we’ll fight to recover fair compensation for all of these losses and more. Call us today to learn more about your legal rights today.
Sexual harassment can take two basic forms in Massachusetts.
To prove quid pro quo sexual harassment, your lawyer will work to prove:
You may also have a valid claim for quid pro quo harassment if you did something because you were afraid of being fired.
A valid sexual harassment claim can also be based on a hostile work environment, which means:
In hostile work environment cases, the sexual conduct in question must generally be pervasive and ongoing. In other words, an isolated joke or comment won’t be enough to establish your claim.
Regardless of the basis for your claim, our attorneys at Sweeney Merrigan Law, LLP can help find the evidence you need to protect your rights.
Various deadlines can apply to a complaint based on sexual harassment. For example, the EEOC gives you 180 days from the date the harassment took place to file a claim. If you’re filing under the Equal Pay Act, you have two years from the last discriminatory paycheck to file a claim.
The deadlines in sexual harassment lawsuits can vary depending on the facts.
Sexual harassment typically describes a violation of civil law. It may or may not meet the definition of a crime. If someone sexually assaults you at work, you may be able to press criminal charges against that person as well as file a civil claim.
Sexual assault can refer to rape, attempted rape, molestation, fondling and unwanted sexual touching. Even if the action does not meet the definition of a crime, you could still have grounds to file a civil claim against the perpetrator or your employer.
A civil lawsuit for workplace sexual harassment seeks to hold an employer liable for the plaintiff’s damages. An employer may be vicariously liable for the actions and misconduct of an employee.
Your employer may not face criminal charges, but you could still receive financial compensation through a successful civil claim. Filing a claim against your employer could lead to compensation for damages such as emotional distress, mental anguish, lost wages, lost earning opportunities, legal expenses, court fees, punitive damages and more.
Discuss the potential value of your sexual harassment claim with our lawyers today.
At Sweeney Merrigan Law, LLP, we are passionate about achieving justice for employees in Boston who have experienced sexual harassment. We work hard on behalf of our clients, providing aggressive legal services on cases from start to finish.
We can begin with a free consultation with one of our employment attorneys, where you can ask questions about your case and receive honest, straightforward legal advice.
Call (617)-391-9001 today to schedule yours. Our lawyers also respond promptly to online consultation requests.
Attorneys at Sweeney Merrigan Law, LLP have been recognized and honored by several of the top legal associations, including SuperLawyers, National Trial Lawyers Association, and Best Lawyers.
Sweeney Merrigan Law, LLP is a highly successful personal injury law firm serving Massachusetts since 2011.
There are no fees or costs unless we win your case!
