Feeling uneasy or worse, unsafe, in the workplace as the result of the actions of another member of staff can be incredibly difficult to deal with. It can leave you in a position where you no longer want to go to work.
If someone is being inappropriate in the way they’re behaving around you or are making sexual advances that make you uncomfortable, you don’t have to stand for it.
There are laws that protect you from harassment
If you have faced sexual harassment at work, you have the right to file a claim at both state and federal levels.
Filing a sexual harassment claim in Hawaii should be done with the Hawaii Human Civil Rights Commission which has statutes in place that prohibit sexual harassment in the workplace. At the federal level, a claim can be made with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
After you make a report, an investigation will be carried out into your allegations. You will be asked to provide your account of what happened and share any evidence you have supporting your account. The other party will then be allowed to respond to the allegations made against them.
Your employer is under a duty to protect you against discrimination and harassment in the workplace. Where you are successful in your sexual harassment claim, you may be able to file a civil lawsuit against your employer for compensation in the form of monetary damages.
To be successful with your sexual harassment claim, you need to be able to produce compelling evidence and, if you can, witness evidence. These kinds of matters are also very time sensitive, having only 180 days from the last workplace harassment incident to make a claim.
Pursuing a sexual harassment claim can be an intimidating and difficult process. made easier by having helpful legal assistance.