When you ask about the time a victim has to file a case against an aggressor, more often than not you are talking about the statute of limitations. A victim can file a case or press charges right after an incident occurs if they so choose, but many times the victim waits. There are many reasons why a victim waits to file charges in a harassment case, but every victim needs to be aware that they can only wait so long before the case can no longer be filed in any New York court.
When you’re looking for the best Manhattan sexual harassment lawyer for you and your claim, there is a lot to consider. Our team’s focus is squarely on our clients. It takes a lot of courage to decide to fight back against sexual harassment, and we do everything we can to support that courage. We utilize our experience to try and create the most comprehensive case possible, and we pride ourselves on our compassion for our brave clients who have decided to fight back.
The Fight Against Sexual Harassment In Manhattan
Sexual harassment has been an issue in the corporate world forever. Ideally, companies want to bring together diverse staffs to help accelerate the success and growth of the organization. Along the way, there will be conflicts and differences of opinion, but that can sometimes add to the synergy of a group.
While the intent is to create a productive workplace, the outcome is not always ideal. There are those who have their own agendas and they look at some of their co-workers as targets for sexual harassment. Once a company allows sexual harassment to become accepted in its culture, the damage can be extensive.
A Manhattan company that is infiltrated by sexual harassment aggressors can develop a negative reputation among potential clients and employment candidates, find it difficult to keep employees, and find it almost impossible to maintain positive morale. There is a big price to pay for allowing sexual harassment in the workplace, but some companies seem complacent to pay that price.
Identifying Sexual Harassment
If you were to ask a group of sexual harassment lawyers to give a definition of harassment, you will probably get a variety of different answers. But the general consensus could be that sexual harassment is subjecting someone to sexually-charged conversation or activities without their consent. These activities can occur between co-workers, but they are more common in the supervisor-subordinate relationship.
A common type of sexual harassment is called quid pro quo (you do me a favor and I will do one for you). As an example, a supervisor may tell a subordinate that they can have an extra week of paid vacation in exchange for sexual favors. Sometimes a supervisor will also use coercion in this case and tell the subordinate that this type of exchange is how things are done at the company.
The Manhattan Worker And Sexual Harassment
Experienced sexual harassment lawyers understand that victims in these situations suffer in a variety of ways. The aggressor might feel that what they have done is not a significant event, but the truth is that a request for sex can have long-lasting effects on the victim’s career and life.
In order to be successful in the workplace, a worker has to engage with their teammates, look to take advantage of opportunities, and make sure they maintain a high level of positive productivity. The emotional and psychological effects of sexual harassment can often hinder all of those activities. As the victim starts to feel anxiety and stress, they tend to pull away from their work team and stop pursuing opportunities. Their productivity starts to suffer to the point where their job might be threatened.
Sexual harassment can also induce conditions in a victim such as anxiety attacks, eating disorders, heart problems, high blood pressure, alcohol abuse and clinical depression. Persistent harassment can make these symptoms worse, which is why sexual harassment is something that must be addressed throughout every Manhattan and New York City company.
The Company’s Responsibility
Some companies hire sexual harassment lawyers to help draw up policies that help employees and are in line with state and local laws. Every Manhattan company is required to take steps to create a safe workplace for employees. A hostile work environment is one identified in state and federal laws as one that does not do enough to discourage or eliminate persistent acts of sexual harassment. The victims of such work environments can be entitled to financial compensation if they can prove that the hostile work environment exists.
Every company must have a procedure in place where employees can make sexual harassment claims against any other person in the company. Sexual harassment lawyers are also quick to point out to their corporate clients that punishing employees for filing reports is against the law. A company cannot demote, fire, or otherwise take opportunities from an employee that files a report. The report must be investigated, and the company must indicate the results of the investigation to the employee. We do not represent companies. We represent those who have been harassed or abused.
The Worker’s Burden
While there are impressive legal protections in place for the victims of sexual harassment to report their assaults and harassments, building up the courage to make those reports is still the worker’s burden. As a victim, you must make the decision on whether or not to file your report and how you will go about it. There could be issues with other co-workers, or you may find support you never expected. But the decision to file the report and make your attack known to the company is ultimately yours.
When Working With The Company Gives Bad Results
Manhattan is home to a wide variety of companies that all operate in different ways. While the ideal situation would be to have the company investigate a sexual harassment report and bring back punishment for the aggressors, that does not always happen. It can happen that your Manhattan employer leaves you feeling as though your report did not matter and your plea for help was ignored.
Worse yet, you might get some small sense of satisfaction with the investigation results but then find your own career on a downturn. Instead of chasing opportunities, you are reassigned to a different department with a lower-paying job. It doesn’t seem fair, and you do not have to accept that kind of behavior.
When you give the company a chance to do the right thing and the company fails, then you need to start talking to sexual harassment lawyers. Remember that the law is generally on the side of the employee. If you feel the company was unjust in its actions, then consider talking to sexual harassment lawyers to find out your options.
What Manhattan Sexual Harassment Lawyers Can Do To Help
A good attorney will review your case and give you the options that are available to you. It is possible that an attorney will tell you that the company’s actions would be difficult to label as illegal in a civil court. But there may also be an opportunity to make the company pay for its bad decisions.
Our team is composed of experienced sexual harassment lawyers who understand the corporate world. We are also compassionate professionals who know that our clients are going through a difficult time when they come to us for help.
If you are still trying to gain the courage to fight back from your sexual harassment incident that occurred in Manhattan or the New York City area, we encourage you to give us a call. We have the kind of experience that allows us to understand what you are going through, and we can offer you valuable assistance. If you are ready to let your employer know that you are not going to stand for what has happened, then let us be the legal team that stands by your side. Call us today at 716-800-8080 to schedule a free consultation or complete a contact form on our website.
