Sexual Harassment at Work: What to Do If It Happens to You

No one deserves to experience sexual harassment in the workplace. Regardless of where you work, you are entitled to a safe work environment, and you are entitled to feel comfortable in your surroundings.

As a result, if you have experienced sexual harassment in the workplace, you have clear legal rights. Workplace sexual harassment is prohibited under both Pennsylvania and federal law, and employers that allow, encourage or facilitate sexual harassment can (and should) be held fully accountable.

What to Do If You Experience Sexual Harassment in the Workplace

With this in mind, if you are a victim of workplace sexual harassment, here are some important steps you should try to take as soon as possible:

1. Report the Sexual Harassment to Your Supervisor or HR Representative

You should report what you have experienced to either your supervisor or your human resources (HR) representative. If you are not comfortable doing this yourself (or if your supervisor or HR representative was involved in the sexual harassment), our attorneys can file a report for you. If you decide to report the sexual harassment yourself, stick purely to the facts—don’t make any assumptions or make any accusations that may or may not be warranted.

2. Do Your Best to Document What Happened

You should also do your best to document what happened. You should take detailed notes, and you should keep copies of any relevant emails, text messages or other communications. The more documentation you have, the better.

3. Write Down the Names of Any Witnesses

Along with doing your best to document what happened, you should also write down the names of any witnesses. If any of your co-workers (or anyone else) saw what happened, these individuals could play an important role in holding your employer accountable.

4. Avoid Posting Anything Online

At this stage, you should avoid posting anything about what happened online. For now, you should keep the details strictly between yourself and your attorney. The time to tell your story will come; but, for now, you need to prioritize protecting your legal rights.

5. Talk to a Philadelphia Sexual Harassment Attorney About Your Legal Options

Dealing with sexual harassment in the workplace can be very challenging. Fortunately, you do not have to deal with your situation on your own. An experienced Philadelphia sexual harassment attorney can explain your legal options, and then you can rely on your attorney to take appropriate legal action on your behalf.

Talk to a Philadelphia Sexual Harassment Attorney at Murphy Law Group for Free

At Murphy Law Group, we are passionate about fighting for victims of sexual harassment in the workplace, and we have extensive experience holding employers across Pennsylvania accountable. If you have experienced sexual harassment in the workplace, we strongly encourage you to contact us so that we can help. To speak with an experienced Philadelphia sexual harassment attorney in confidence as soon as possible, please call 267-273-1054 or tell us how we can reach you online now.