Have you ever wondered whether sexual remarks and inappropriate behavior by your same-sex boss could be grounds to sue for sexual harassment? Well, the short answer is yes. It is unlawful for men to sexually harass men; and women to sexually harass women. (Of course, it is still unlawful for a man to sexually harass a woman; and for a woman to sexually harass a man).
Case-in-point: Twenty-two victims of workplace sexual harassment and retaliation recently settled a lawsuit against the trendy NYC restaurant Sparks Steak House for a total of $600,000. According to the lawsuit, the employees were male waiters at Sparks, whom were sexually harassed for a period of nearly eight years. The harassment, which came primarily from a single male supervisor, included inappropriate touching, lewd comments and sexualremarks. Many waiters complained about the harassment, but nothing was done to discipline the manager whose illegal behavior continued for years. In fact, the lawsuit alleged, several of the waiters who complained of being sexually harassed were retaliated against. The waiters were given extra work and/or suspended.
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits unwanted sexual advances and other unwelcome sexual conduct in the workplace. While same-sex sexual harassment is less common than harassment that targets someone of the opposite sex, it is covered and prohibited by Title VII. Title VII also protects employees from being retaliated against if they complainabout sexual harassment or other forms of discrimination to a supervisor. The law is clear that employers must recognize and act on their duty to prevent sexual harassment of any kind. As seen here, an employer’s failure to act quickly and responsibly can lead to costly lawsuits.
If you feel that you are being sexually harassed or are working in a sexually charged or hostile working environment, you should not wait to call the right attorney at 866-797-6040 to schedule a free and confidential consultation. At Spitz, The Employee’s Law Firm, you will meet with a sexual harassment lawyer/hostile work environment attorney to find out what your legal rights are and the best way to protect them. Sexual harrassment is a former of gender discrimination, and employers should be held accountable if they discriminate against female workers in any fashion – but particularly for sexual harrassment.
Disclaimer:
The materials available at this gender discrimination and employment law website are for informational purposes only and not for the purpose of providing legal advice. It is best contact an Ohio sexual harassment attorney/hostile work environment lawyer to obtain advice with respect to sexual harassment/hostile work environment questions or any particular employment law issue. Use and access to this employment law website or any of the links contained within the site do not create an attorney-client relationship. The legal opinions expressed at or through this site are the opinions of the individual lawyer and may not reflect the opinions of Spitz, The Employee’s Law Firm or any individual attorney.