Coping With Sexual Harassment

Kane County Sexual Harassment Lawyers

Choosing to file a sexual harassment lawsuit is a stressful and complicated situation. It can leave the victim of the sexual harassment confused and unsure of what steps to take next. The victim may have concerns about the well-being of their career and their future. They may feel embarrassed about the harassment or fear that colleagues will not believe them. In many cases, the real hard work of coping with a sexual harassment lawsuit comes after the lawsuit is over. The experienced sexual harassment lawyers at Mirabella, Kincaid, Frederick & Mirabella, LLC will help you navigate the legal process to allow you to thrive both professionally and personally during and after a sexual harassment lawsuit.

Why Some Employees Do Not Report Sexual Harassment

Victims of sexual harassment are often hesitant to file a sexual harassment claim. A person who has been harassed may be experiencing:

• Fear of employer retaliation or revenge;
• Embarrassment resulting from the type of harassment;
• Concern as to how a claim or lawsuit will affect their future employment;
• Worry that the offender will not change the behavior or may increase the harassing behavior; or
• Belief that only women are victims of sexual harassment.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) reported more than 27,000 cases of sexual harassment between 2108 and 2021, and approximately 78 percent of these sexual harassment complaints were filed by women. Although it can be intimidating to take on your employer in a sexual harassment lawsuit, you should know that there are laws to protect your professional reputation and your career. You do not have to face a sexual harassment lawsuit or the resulting scenarios alone.

Retaliation

Many victims of sexual harassment are afraid to file a lawsuit about the harassing behavior because they are worried their employer will retaliate. Although it is against both federal and Illinois state law for an employer to retaliate against an employee who reports sexual harassment or files an employment discrimination claim, some employers will still attempt to get revenge. Unscrupulous employers may try to blur the connection between the sexual harassment lawsuit and their retaliation, such as by claiming that a victim was disciplined for poor work performance. Our lawyers know the law, and we can help victims establish the connection between reports of sexual harassment or claims against an employer and retaliation or wrongful termination.

Rebuilding Your Career

Sometimes, when an employee suffers sexual harassment, and the employer refuses to address the inappropriate behavior, the employee may be left with no other option than to quit their job. If this happens, the employee can make a claim of "constructive discharge." This claim means that although the employee chose to quit their job, they had no other choice because of harassing or discriminatory behavior. Quitting a job because it is a hostile work environment can then be seen as a termination under the law. If an employee leaves a job under these circumstances, a sexual harassment lawsuit may address the financial losses they have experienced, as well as any other ways they have been affected. It is also important to realize that future employers may not discriminate against a person because of a prior claim of sexual harassment.

Contact Our St. Charles Sexual Harassment Lawyers

For assistance with your sexual harassment claim, contact the office of Mirabella, Kincaid, Frederick & Mirabella, LLC today. Call 630-665-7300 to speak with one of our experienced employment discrimination attorneys. We are proud to serve clients in St. Charles, Elgin, Batavia, Geneva, Big Rock, and the rest of Kane County.