Lexadeen Solicitors, specialist employment law solicitors, ensuring our clients receive exceptional, affordable legal services protecting them against sexual harassment in the workplace.
Sexual harassment in the workplace is the term given to the action of an individual, while at work, who’s behaviour towards another has been sexual in nature and unwelcome. This behaviour has resulted in the person feeling offended, humiliated or intimidated.
Sexual harassment is a form of discrimination under the Equality Act 2010.
A survey by a popular woman`s magazine in 2015 found that one in three women between the ages of 18-34 has been sexually harassed at work. If you feel you have experienced sexual harassment in the workplace you may be able to do something about it.
What could be considered as sexual harassment?
A number of things could be considered as sexual harassment in the workplace. The most common or well-known example is of a colleague behaving towards another in an unwelcome sexual manner. This may involve inappropriate touching or comments, persistent requests for dates or sexual innuendos. This behaviour has the purpose or effect of creating an intimidating, humiliating, degrading environment.
In short whatever form the sexual harassment in the workplace takes the common denominator is that the individual suffering from it considers the behaviour offensive and/or feels violated.
There are three types of sexual harassment at work:
- Unwanted conduct of a sexual nature – such as pictures of naked women in the workplace, more recently this type of harassment could refer to sexually explicit jokes via email
- Sex-related harassment – where there is unwanted behaviour which relates to an individual’s gender, i.e. comments regarding childcare arrangements affecting the working day of female employees or simply creating situations where the staff are at a disadvantage due to their gender
- Sexual harassment can also be considered if an employee is treated less favourably by the harasser due to rejecting previous sexual advances.
What can you do about it?
Sexual harassment in the workplace can be devastating to the victim you do not have to tolerate such behaviour Contact Lexadeen now and speak to a specialist solicitor regarding the employment law solutions in place to protect you.
