Sexual Harassment Attorneys in Rochester

Advocacy You Deserve From an Attorney You Can Trust

Sexual harassment is an unacceptable and distressing form of workplace discrimination that is unlawful under federal, state, and local law. Such conduct includes harassment on the basis of sex and sexual orientation. Harassment can display through unlawful acts such as unwanted physical acts or discriminatory displays.

It can take many forms, including but not limited to:

• Unwanted sexual advances
• Appeals for sexual favors
• Comments related to clothing or appearance that are of a sexual nature
• Inappropriate and/or offensive jokes or stories
• Sharing explicit videos or pictures
• Unwelcome texts, letters, and / or emails of a sexual nature
• Sexist jokes or actions
• Hostile actions because of the individual's sex.

Representing Sexual Harassment Claims

Sexual harassment is a form of gender discrimination, and gender is among the protected characteristics named in Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This means that claims that are related to sexual harassment are considered and dealt with by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).

The EEOC classifies claims into two forms of sexual harassment: "quid pro quo" sexual harassment and "hostile work environment" sexual harassment.

• Quid pro quo harassment claims involve cases in which an employer uses sexual favors or actions as a basis for hiring, promoting, or otherwise advancing employees.
• Hostile work environment harassment, the more common category, involves general claims of uncomfortable or unwanted sexual conduct, joking, speech, or activity.

Even indirect actions such as sexist jokes or derogatory comments about gender can be a form of harassment. Both men and women can be the victims of sexual harassment.