West Palm Beach Sexual Harassment Lawyer

West Palm Beach Sexual Harassment Attorney

Having to deal with sexual harassment in the workplace can be one of the most frustrating, humiliating, and degrading incidents in your life. You may be so shocked by the incident that you may not immediately know what to do next. It is vital that you report such behavior to your supervisor, though you may be reluctant to do so out of fear of losing your job. That’s when you should consider reaching out to a West Palm Beach sexual harassment lawyer for help.

The legal team at the Law Offices of Gary A. Costales, P.A., understands how difficult it can be to report an incident of sexual harassment, especially if your workplace has a history of ignoring or avoiding such situations to maintain the status quo. If you don’t report the harassment, there’s a chance it could happen to somebody else, or it could even escalate into something worse, such as assault. A skilled lawyer can help you figure out what you should do.

What Is Sexual Harassment?

Sexual harassment is any behavior or activity that is sexually charged or sexually motivated and puts the victim in an uncomfortable situation or makes them feel unsafe. Sexual harassment doesn’t only happen in the workplace. It can happen anywhere. It’s so prevalent in the nation that you may not instantly recognize it if it happens to you. If an incident of sexual harassment occurs in your workplace, you should contact an experienced West Palm employment lawyer.

According to a study by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), there were nearly 2,000 incidents of workplace discrimination that were motivated by sex in Florida in 2024. This includes discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, as well as incidents of sexual harassment. There were also over 3,800 incidents of workplace retaliation in Florida that same year.

If you have been a victim of sexual harassment, you may want to reach out to a local support group for trauma survivors and sexual abuse survivors, such as Women’s Trauma Group Therapy or Personal Transformation Intensive.

Sexual harassment can take different forms, and all of them are intended to make someone feel small and helpless. These forms can include sexual jokes, sexual remarks, sexual advances, unwanted touching, forced kissing or groping, sexual questions, sexually explicit text messages or phone calls, images of sexual behavior, and quid pro quo sexual harassment. All of these behaviors can foster a hostile work environment.

What To Do if You Are Sexually Harassed In West Palm Beach

If you ever find yourself a victim of sexual harassment in West Palm Beach, it is vital that you take the proper precautions to protect yourself and make sure it doesn’t happen again. Every workplace should have a process for reporting sexual harassment, and you want to make sure you follow your workplace’s rules. Here are some of the steps you can take after an incident of sexual harassment:

• Report the Incident: The very first thing you should do after being involved in a sexual harassment incident is report it. Look through your employee handbook to determine how you go about reporting it. You will likely have to go through your direct supervisor or your company’s human resources (HR) department. The last thing you want is for your report to be ignored because you didn’t follow the proper protocol.
• File a Complaint: After you report the incident to the proper authority, you should consider filing an official complaint with the Florida Commission on Human Relations (FCHR) or the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Make sure you document every response so you have the strongest possible case.
• See a Lawyer: After you have lodged an official complaint, you should consult with a sexual harassment lawyer to learn what your remaining options are. A good lawyer can keep you well-informed of the situation and remind you of your rights as a Florida worker.

FAQs

Contact a Sexual Harassment Lawyer Today

Enduring sexual harassment in the workplace can be traumatizing and degrading. If it ever happens to you, you should report the behavior immediately and contact a sexual harassment lawyer to help you build a case against the harasser and possibly your employer if they don’t take corrective action.

The legal team at the Law Offices of Gary A. Costales, P.A., can give you the resources you need to build a strong case against your harasser. Together, we can hold the right people accountable for their actions. Contact us to speak to a valued team member about your case today.