Different Forms of Sexual Harassment at Work
Sexual harassment at work takes many forms. It can be difficult to identify the signs of sexual harassment, especially if you’ve never experienced it before. Luckily, there are steps you can take to stop sexual harassment from happening.
An Austin employment law attorney can help you learn about your rights and the best steps to take when dealing with sexual harassment. You can consult an employment attorney to discuss your situation, even if you aren’t ready to take legal action. These attorneys will help you find the best solution for your situation and protect your rights. An employment attorney may also advise you on how to approach a potential employer about sexual harassment so that you can stop it from happening again.
We will now see different forms of sexual harassment at work.
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Physical contact and advances
Are you being pressured to have physical contact with a supervisor, or co-worker? Have you experienced an unwanted kiss or physical contact at the workplace? These are all examples of sexual harassment. You can consult an employment attorney to make it clear whether you can claim your situation as a ground for sexual harassment.
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Demanding or requesting sexual favors
If a supervisor or co-worker constantly asks you for sexual favors, this is considered sexual harassment. Or if someone always tries to convince you to have sex with them, this is also considered sexual harassment. Demanding or requesting sexual favors of any kind is considered sexual harassment.
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Sexually colored remarks
Sexually colored remarks are comments or actions that are made in a sexual manner, but may not be direct sexual advances. These remarks can be about your body, your sexual activity, or things that make you angry or upset. For example, if you are breastfeeding and a co-worker says something like “I don’t want to see that”, this is considered sexual harassment. Even if the person said it in a joking manner, the comment still shows obvious disrespect for your privacy.
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Unwelcome verbal comments
Unwelcome verbal comments are comments that make you uncomfortable but don’t go as far as sexual comments. For example, if a supervisor constantly makes remarks about your appearance or your body, this is considered sexual harassment. Or if someone constantly comments about how attractive you are and asks for your number or starts asking you out on dates without asking for your permission, this is considered sexual harassment.