If you receive sexual harassment through text or inappropriate texts from a coworker that is sexually explicit or it makes you feel uncomfortable, you should immediately report the matter to your company’s human resources (HR) director.
If you report the inappropriate texts and the company fails to deal with the offending employee and put a stop to the harassment, you could hold the company liable for your damages.
You could suffer emotionally and mentally from sexual harassment through text, and it can cause an unwelcoming or hostile work environment.
This could lead to reduced productivity, missed work, and you may even quit your job if the harassment is allowed to continue. There are rights and resources available to help you get the behavior stopped and to ensure that you are treated fairly.
A sexual harassment claim against your employer could help you recover compensation for your damages and put a stop to the inappropriate and improper behavior that is prohibited by law.
What Are Examples of Inappropriate Texts From a Co-Worker?
If you have received inappropriate text messages from a co-worker, please know that you do not have to tolerate those inappropriate texts.
The co-worker who sent the inappropriate texts can be considered sexual harassment and you are able to use those text messages as evidence if you choose to file a claim for sexual harassment.
If you received an inappropriate text from a co-worker and nothing is done about it, you may be able to file a claim against your employer for creating a hostile work environment.
Sexual harassment through text can come in many forms, some of the most common examples of inappropriate texts include:
- Vulgar jokes
- Sexually explicit images
- Requests for sexually explicate images
- Requests for sexual favors in return for career advancement
- Unwelcomed flirting
- Messages that are sexually threatening
If you have received an inappropriate text message from a co-worker that has made you uncomfortable, you should immediately notify your HR department, who will then conduct an investigation. If your company does not deal with the offending co-worker, your company could be held liable for damages if you choose to file an employment law claim against them.
No one deserves sexual harassment through text or sent inappropriate texts, especially in the workplace. If a co- worker has texted you inappropriate messages, there are steps that you need to take in order to protect yourself immediately after receiving the inappropriate messages.
Is Texting a Coworker Outside of Work Illegal?
If you are wondering if it is illegal to text a coworker outside of work, it is not. However, it can become illegal if the text become harassment. Sexual harassment can occur through texting outside of work. That means if you are getting texts that include inappropriate messages, unwanted sexual advances, or other unsolicited contact, the texting has crossed the line and become illegal.
It is grounds for filing a formal complaint with your employer. Be sure to keep all texts and other proof of contact. You need to show that you suffered sexual harassment and received unsolicited inappropriate texts from a coworker.
You should immediately tell the coworker to stop texting, and if necessary, block them from texting you. You should notify a supervisor in case you are supposed to have contact with that coworker because of work schedules or projects.
If you have fallen victim to sexual harassment and you report it to your employer and they fail to deal with the offender and put a stop to the harassment, you can hold your employer responsible for your damages. This means you can file a claim with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Then if that is not resolved, you will advance to court and file a lawsuit against your place of employment.
You can ask for compensation for your damages through the lawsuit. Your damages may include lost wages, lost benefits, mental anguish, and pain and suffering. Speak with an employment law attorney if you have fallen victim to workplace sexual harassment.
How Does Inappropriate Texts Impact the Work Environment?
There are two main kinds of sexual harassment. Quid pro quo and hostile work environment are the two different kinds of sexual harassment
If a coworker texts you and says that he or she will ensure your continued employment or give you workplace perks if you agree to his or her sexual advances, you could be the victim of quid pro quo sexual harassment.
Hostile work environment harassment though can be much more subtle than quid pro quo sexual harassment.
Often, it gets underway very subtly. It could start with your colleague texting you about work assignments, or asking you work-related questions, but it then advances to more personal topics.
Either scenario can cause an uncomfortable work environment and affect your work performance and your emotional state. You should not be subjected to such treatment at work, and you should make sure that you keep all documentation to support your claim and to show what happened.
What If Your Boss Sends You Inappropriate Texts?
If you have received inappropriate text messages from your boss, that could be grounds for sexual harassment and creating a hostile work environment.
What could complicate the matter even more is the fear of speaking up against your boss due retaliation. No matter where the harassment comes, whether it’s one of your coworkers or your boss, you shouldn’t have to worry about retaliation and you do not have to tolerate sexual harassment through text.
When a boss of a company harasses an employee, the company itself could be more susceptible for liability in creating a hostile work environment.
If your boss has sent you inappropriate text messages, you should still follow all the same protocols you would that your company’s harassment policy outlines.
If you are too nervous or fearful that your boss will retaliate against you for filing a sexual harassment claim against he or she, there are laws that protect you against retaliation on top of the laws that protect you against sexual harassment.
If that is the case, then you may want to seek the counsel of an employment law attorney.
If you received in inappropriate text from a coworker, you will want to talk to your lawyer about where you will be filing a claim for sexual harassment.
There are couple of ways you can do this, often times you can file a claim with the EEOC, the federal agency that administers and enforces civil rights laws against workplace discrimination.
You can also file a claim on the state or municipal level too in conjunction with filing a claim with the EEOC. Your lawyer can counsel you on where you should be filing the claim.
What Should I Do If I Get an Inappropriate Text From a Co-Worker?
If you have been the victim of sexual harassment via text message, you should make sure that you save any - and all inappropriate text messages sent by the harasser.
You should never delete anything – even any texts that you may have sent in response to the ones received. The more evidence that you have that will support your claim and show what happened, the more likely you are to win your employment law claim against your employer for sexual harassment.
You should follow the procedure that is outlined in your employee handbook for reporting sexual harassment to your supervisor or to the HR manager.
If action is not taken immediately to ensure that the harassing messages are stopped, you may have to file a claim with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) an contact an attorney who handles sexual harassment cases in your area.
The EEOC will investigate your claim and speak with your employer. They will review your evidence and then give your employer the opportunity to present any evidence that can dispute your claim.
Your employer has the responsibility of proving that they properly addressed the matter and that they believed the inappropriate texts had stopped.
How Can a Sexual Harassment Attorney Help?
If you have suffered sexual harassment in the workplace you should get a free case evaluation from an employment law attorney who handles such claims in your area.
You have a limited time to pursue a claim after sexual harassment, so you need to make sure you can get your claim underway before time runs out and it is too late to recover compensation for your damages.
An employment law attorney will review your evidence and documentation and will investigate the matter, gathering additional evidence and documentation to support your claim.
They will work with your employer to try to settle the claim and resolve the matter. If the issue cannot be settled, they will file a lawsuit on your behalf and represent you in court.
Some employment law attorneys will take cases on a contingency basis, but others do require a retainer to be paid in advance. If you are the victim of workplace discrimination, you should enlist the help of an employment law attorney to help you recover your losses.
Complete the Free Case Evaluation Form to share the details surrounding your situation with a lawyer who handles employment law cases in your state. Take the time to ask questions regarding your claim, so you can determine the best way to proceed.
