How and Where To Report Quid Pro Quo Sexual Harassment

When events of sexual harassment take place at offices, most experts suggest discussing the matter with the organization’s Human Resources department or a supervisor. It’s not always an option worth rooting for, of course. Sometimes, it isn’t even possible. Folks may feel uncomfortable talking about it with the boss because even the manager of a firm can be the abuser. Small companies may not have an HR department. Also, large organizations may not have appropriate protocols in place to report such events.

• Against the law: It goes without saying that Quid pro quo sexual harassment at workplaces is a heinous crime. It’s against both state and federal laws. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission or EEOC clearly states in Title VII of the Civil Rights Act that sexual harassment is unacceptable. It also condemns employee discrimination of specific protected classes, including a person’s gender, religion, race, age, or disability. Understandably, the HR department of every company is bound by law to investigate such matters and stop them. They even have systems in place for the same reason.
• State laws: Indeed, state laws are also applicable in sexual harassment events. In certain states, smaller employers can escape the noose because they aren’t as accountable as larger employers. Other states, though, have significantly fairer employment practices and norms. At times, the laws tend to be much more stringent than the federal ones.
• Documentation: You don’t need to worry about your company’s policies concerning sexual harassment. If you’re a victim, you must document all events of misconduct. You must do your best to record the precise times, dates, and locations, along with an in-depth description of everything that happened. If there’s an eye-witness, you should note down his/her name. Just remember to avoid using your work computer for documentation purposes. Otherwise, there won’t be any privacy guarantees. You mustn’t delete any offensive emails or texts sent to you by the culprit, even if you find it tempting to do so.
• Retaliation: It goes without saying that there will always be a chance of retaliation. The employer won’t let your complaints or actions against Quid pro quo sexual harassment go unanswered. Therefore, while gathering all evidence, you should try to accumulate copies of the culprit’s personnel documents, such as work assignments, performance reviews, and salary hikes. Retaliating at workplaces is another criminal offense, and if you have proof of the same, it will be a strong point for a lawyer to work on.

• A bit about the offense: Sometimes, employees experiencing sexual harassment don’t even recognize the intentions of the miscreant. If you have any concerns, you should consider going through the definition of sexual harassment stated in the EEOC. It may include stating comments bordering on misogyny about another individual’s sexual orientation or gender. It also incorporates requests for sexual acts and unwanted sexual advances.
• The categories: Sexual harassment has two categories. The first one is work environment hostility, while the other is quid pro quo. In the first instance, employees get subjected to unwanted and abusive physical or verbal behaviors severe enough to prevent an employee from working properly. In the second one, employers or superiors will ask for sexual favors against events, such as giving a promotion, not firing the employee, etc.
• How to complain: So, how to file a complaint against the offender? If you work for unions, the shop stewards should be able to help you. You also have the opportunity to file a formal complaint against the culprit via the union. After that, you can consult the collective bargaining agreement to find out whether there’s a formal procedure for handling such events or not. If complaining to the union or employer isn’t an option, you can get in touch with the EEOC or the state’s fair employment agency.
• Contacting a lawyer: If you’re a victim of this disgusting criminal act, you’ll probably think twice before doing anything as you’ll be worried about job security and whether the receiver of the complaint will handle it properly or not. You shouldn’t hesitate to consult a lawyer if you aren’t sure about the company’s policies against sexual harassment or if you don’t know whether the act qualifies as a criminal offense or not.

Final words

Quid pro quo sexual harassment exists just about everywhere in the world, and it’s never acceptable. While there are ways you can handle the matter without outside intervention, you shouldn’t think twice if you believe you need legal help.