Everyone deserves to work at an office or workplace free of harassment. There are New Jersey state laws and federal laws to protect employees, and despite all that, many workplaces are oppressive & hostile. If you are working in a hostile environment where you cannot continue your job or remain productive, you should seek help to know the legal options. You can schedule a quick meeting with top employment lawyer Ravi Sattiraju to discuss this further.
In this post, let’s discuss hostile environment at work in detail.
Understanding sexual harassment
Any form of sexual harassment is unlawful. The typical way it happens is “quid pro quo”, where an employer or someone in the organization in a position of power asks for sexual favors in return for something. Let’s say your supervisor says they will give you a bad performance report for the quarter if you don’t come over for a sleepover. However, sexual harassment is not limited to that.
The second kind is the hostile work environment. If you have been subjected to mockery, ridicule, offensive jokes, gestures, inappropriate touching, or slurs, it could be a case of sexual harassment, where the work environment is hostile. Unlike quid pro quo situations, where someone in power or authority is usually responsible, offensive statements could come from anyone, including management, coworkers, and clients.
A look at offensive conduct
Here comes the big question – What kind or extent of offensive conduct could make the workplace hostile for you? There is no one answer to that question. It may largely depend on circumstances, and in many situations, people have less tolerance. Let’s assume that your coworker groped you at work, and in this case, you don’t need to prove any other kind of offensive conduct. However, teasing or passing remarks once may not qualify as a case of a hostile work environment. You should also understand that welcome conduct cannot be considered harassment. For example, if you participate in flirting with a supervisor, you cannot blame them for creating a hostile environment.
Hostile work environment beyond sexual harassment
You could have a hostile environment at work, but that may not be related to sexual advances or comments. People often suffer harassment because of their color, race, religion, nationality, and age. It could even relate to your gender identification or disability. In NJ, racial harassment is way more common than other types of harassment, and it could come from someone from the same race.
Meet an attorney soon
You cannot expect to take legal action unless you know the laws and how things work in the state. An employment attorney who has a track record of working for harassed or oppressed employees can guide and explain better. They can check whether the circumstantial evidence is enough or whether you should wait and collect more information before proceeding ahead. Keep in mind that no lawyer can guarantee an outcome, but they can certainly be your advocate. Your lawyer will also explain other things, like what you would get from filing a lawsuit or the steps that can hurt the case. Choose an attorney who takes the time to understand your concerns, answers your questions, and is proactive about taking the matter ahead. Ensure the lawyer is also capable of fighting in court.
Don’t take harassment for granted
While an unusual comment from a colleague may not ring alarm bells, don’t tolerate anything that impacts your work and mental peace. At the least, you deserve to know what the case is all about and whether you can get justice for the situation. An attorney is your best bet for finding the correct details.
