If you face sexual harassment in the workplace, you do not have to remain silent. Sexual harassment resources start with your manager or a representative from the human resources department. You should document everything, including the date and time of the sexual harassment, as well as a detailed description of the events that unfolded.
Sometimes, sexual harassment turns into a sex crime, which changes the way you handle the incident. You must contact local authorities as soon as possible and get in touch with an attorney who can provide you with legal support. Failure to act promptly to any type of unlawful sexual behavior in the workplace might demonstrate you do not care about the harassment.
Filing a sexual harassment claim in Georgia is a different process than the process followed for sexual harassment claims in the vast majority of other states. You must get sexual harassment help in Georgia from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).
Administrative Resources
Filing an administrative claim for sexual harassment in Georgia requires you to submit the proper documents with the EEOC. Sexual harassment encompasses a wide variety of actions that include offensive remarks and unwanted physical contact. Although state law does not prohibit mild teasing, offhand comments, and isolated incidents, it does protect workers from frequent acts of harassment of a sexual nature.
You contact the EEOC to initiate a claim. A representative from the federal agency interviews you to learn more about your complaint. The interview with a representative from the EEOC helps you determine if you have a strong enough case to move forward with the filing of a claim. After the interview with a representative from the EEOC, you submit a Charge of Discrimination via the EEOC Public Portal. The user-friendly portal collects your contact information, the name of your employer, and a comprehensive description of the specific acts of sexual harassment in the workplace.
The EEOC investigates your claim before issuing a decision.
Emergency Resources for Victims
If you were the victim of a sex crime in the workplace, you must act with a sense of urgency by contacting the proper authorities. Call 911 to initiate the emergency response system that alerts the local police department to your predicament. One or more detectives arrive at your workplace to interview you and collect evidence. An extensive investigation reveals whether law enforcement finds enough evidence to charge a suspect with one or more sex crimes.
Contact a lawyer to help you build a strong enough criminal case, as well as pursue a sexual harassment claim. Perhaps you were about to file a claim for sexual harassment before you fell victim to a sex crime. Your attorney helps you build a criminal case and refers you to sexual harassment resources that include an employment law attorney.
Emotional Support Resources
Victims of sex crimes and sexual harassment deal with a significant amount of emotional distress that negatively impacts other areas of life. The State of Georgia offers plenty of emotional support through several organizations.
Sexual Violence Resource of Georgia
You contact the Sexual Violence Resource of Georgia at 404-657-1956. The organization sends Sexual Assault Response Teams into the field to provide emotional support for victims of sex crimes. One of the primary goals of the organization is to connect victims of sex crimes with the appropriate agencies that specialize in different areas of emotional healing.
Crime Victim’s Compensation Program
Administered by the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council, the Crime Victim’s Compensation Program provides financial assistance to help victims of sex crimes deal with the physical and emotional issues that develop after suffering from an unlawful sexual act.
You also have the option to call the Georgia Crisis & Access Line at 800-715-4225. The call center is open 24 hours a day, seven days per week.
Get Sexual Harassment Help Today
One of the most important sexual harassment resources is a Georgia-licensed employment law attorney. A lawyer helps you collect and organize the evidence you need to submit a persuasive claim with the EEOC. Your legal counsel will interview witnesses that support your claim of sexual harassment in the workplace. Witnesses play an important role in sexual harassment cases because many claims do not include physical evidence.
You have a limited amount of time to file a sexual harassment claim in Georgia. Working with an attorney ensures you meet the deadline for submitting the proper paperwork.
Fill out the case evaluation form to schedule a free consultation with an employment lawyer.
