Anyone who has been employed, even just temporarily, has more than likely gone through new hire training. That training generally includes a section on sexual harassment in the workplace.
What is the training for? It is to show workers what sexual harassment looks like and to know how to avoid committing harassment. It is to show workers what harassment is and to advise them to speak up when it happens. This training doesn’t always foster the perfect, harassment-free workplace.
Not only does sexual harassment occur in workplaces throughout New Jersey and the entire U.S., but when it does, the victims of the wrongdoing do not always seek help or report the incidents. A Times piece laments that many women do not report sexual harassment for various reasons:
- Negative career impact
- Loss of job entirely
- Being labeled as a whiner
- Being labeled as a liar
- Nothing will happen as a result of report; nothing will change
Someone who believes she or he has a sexual harassment case often feels alone, like they have no one to talk to. Part of that feeling is due to the reality that in many workplaces, incidents of sexual harassment are kept quite secret. Matters tend to stay between the accuser and the accused because companies will try their best to keep the situation out of public knowledge.
An employment law attorney can help someone with harassment concerns feel heard. A trusted, experienced lawyer can help a victim feel as if he or she is not alone. Despite what it might feel like, there are legal options that can help sexual harassment victims regain a sense of control over their lives.
