Sexual harassment scandals at companies such as Uber and Fox News have been a reminder not only that sexual harassment is still a regrettably routine feature of working life but also that even some of the most powerful perpetrators can, eventually, be held accountable.
Understanding Your Legal Options If You’ve Been Sexually Harassed
Sexual harassment is still a regrettably routine feature of working life. The most critical questions for employees who have been harassed at work are, first, what response do they want? And second, what are they prepared to risk to get it? Another key consideration for women deciding how to respond to harassment is how much legal or professional leverage they have. Targets of harassment can increase their legal leverage by documenting it as it happens, keeping copies of incriminating emails and voicemails and recording their own efforts to stop the abuse. Using the company’s official reporting channels are important, too, even if the employee feels they’re unlikely to solve the problem. If the company retaliates, document that too. Employees can increase their leverage by working with others who have also been targeted for harassment, and by going public if the company doesn’t respond.