Federal Workplace Harassment Lawyer
If you’re being harassed at work, it’s important to put an end to the mistreatment. Contact a federal workplace harassment attorney and file an official complaint against your employer now.
Being harassed at work is a form of discrimination. Whether you’re being harassed because of your age, your disability, your gender, or something else, harassment in the workplace is never okay. Employers are required to promote a positive work environment and make employees feel safe. When employers begin making employees feel intimidated or abused, their behavior is unacceptable.
At Snider & Associates, LLC, our goal is to help employees find their voice and seek the justice they deserve. If you’ve been harassed at work, filing an official complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) can be a good step toward seeing your employer is held accountable for their actions.
A federal workplace harassment lawyer from our firm can also assist you in escalating your complaint to a lawsuit, if necessary.
Laws to Protect Employees from Harassment at Work
If you feel that the harassment you’re experiencing is due to discrimination, then there are numerous antidiscrimination laws in place that are meant to protect you. For example, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 is a federal statute that makes it illegal for employers to discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, or national origin. Other federal antidiscrimination laws include:
- The Age Discrimination in Employment Act
- The Americans with Disabilities Act
- The Pregnancy Discrimination Act
- The Immigration Reform and Control Act
- The Civil Rights Act of 1866 (Section 1981)
- The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act
Antidiscrimination laws also protect employees from being harassed if it’s in retaliation for an employee filing a discrimination complaint or for testifying on behalf of another employee’s complaint. While isolated incidents of harassment and small annoyances won’t be considered illegal, if the employer makes the workplace environment feel hostile, they’re breaking the law.
Examples of Harassment in the Workplace
Harassment in the workplace can come in many different forms. While the harassment may be discriminatory, it can also be sexual, retaliatory, personal, physical, or psychological. Discriminatory harassment may come in the form of racial slurs, degrading comments, intolerance of specific needs, or unfair criticism.
Retaliatory and personal harassment is simple bullying of an individual, whether that includes intimidation tactics, humiliation, critical remarks, denying privileges, or offensive jokes. Physical harassment can involve direct threats or physical attacks. Sexual harassment can involve inappropriate sexual touching or comments. Psychological harassment can involve spreading rumors or belitting.
There are many other actions that fall within these categories, as well, so if you aren’t sure if what you’ve experienced qualifies for a workplace harassment case, speak to an employment lawyer for additional information.
How to File a Workplace Harassment Claim
To file a workplace harassment claim, you’ll need to contact the Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) counselor at the job where you work. You’ll need to contact this counselor within forty-five days of when the harassment occurred. You’ll have the option to participate in EEO counseling to try and resolve the issue, but if it doesn’t get resolved, you can file an official complaint through your workplace EEO office.
Once your complaint has been filed, an investigation will begin. Throughout the investigation, there will be several different points when you’ll have the opportunity to end the investigation and pursue a private lawsuit against your employer. When the EEOC doesn’t resolve the issue for you or doesn’t give you the final decision you may have hoped for, a lawsuit may be the best route.
Reach Out to a Federal Workplace Harassment Attorney
Your place of work is meant to make you feel safe and secure. If you’re being harassed, filing a complaint has the potential to put a stop to the mistreatment and to see that you’re properly compensated for the suffering you’ve experienced.
If you’re ready to discuss your case with a federal workplace harassment lawyer from Snider & Associates, LLC, call 410-653-9060 or fill out the contact form below to schedule a consultation.