Accessing sexual harassment resources in Maines starts when you reach out to your manager or human resources department representative. Your manager or human resources department representative should be receptive to your accusations. An investigation includes interviewing the person or people that sexually harassed you, as well as any witnesses that saw acts of sexually unlawful behavior.
If your employer fails to act to your complaint, you can seek sexual harassment help from the Maine Human Rights Commission. The state agency conducts investigations into acts of sexual harassment in the workplace. If the Maine Human Rights Commission discovers your employer should be held legally liable for allowing acts of sexual harassment to take place at work, then you might receive compensation for your pain and suffering.
Working with an employment law attorney is one of the most important sexual harassment resources. Your lawyer is there to provide legal support, as well as guide you through the emotional turmoil that often plagues victims of sexual harassment in the workplace.
Administrative Resources
You have sexual harassment resources at the state and federal levels that provide you with sexual harassment help. You can file a claim with the Maine Human Rights Commission located at 51 State House Street in Augusta, Maine. If the Maine Human Rights Commission has reduced its hours of operation or closed its doors temporarily because of COVID-19, you should file a claim by accessing the agency’s website.
The Maine Human Rights Commission requires you to submit an Electronic Intake Questionnaire Form. You submit your name and contact information, as well as a detailed description of the facts and circumstances surrounding your claim. Your employment law attorney can provide you with sexual harassment help by ensuring you file the form before the expiration of the statute of limitation.
Emergency Resources for Victims
If you are a victim of a sex crime in the workplace, the process for seeking justice is different than the process involved in filing a claim with the Maine Human Rights Commission.
You should contact 911 to activate the local emergency response system. A detective from the nearest law enforcement agency should arrive at your workplace to conduct an investigation. Obtaining physical evidence is essential in helping you prove your case. After meeting with a lawyer, you might file a criminal charge against the person who committed a sex crime against you.
If you suffered serious injuries, you should seek medical attention at the closest emergency room.
Emotional Support Resources
Sexual harassment can trigger a wide variety of negative emotions that diminish the quality of your life, as well as the lives of those around you. You cannot afford to allow emotional distress to fester inside of you. Reaching out to one or more advocacy groups can put you back on the right track personally and professionally.
Maine Sexual Assault Support Centers provide sexual harassment help for victims. Some of the help involves counseling victims of sexual harassment, which targets emotional issues that developed after a sex crime and/or repeated acts of sexual harassment. The Maine Sexual Assault Support Centers also connect victims of sex crimes and sexual harassment with other support organizations.
Assault Support Services of Midcoast Maine
Assault Support Services of Midcoast Maine offers support, information, and referrals to the survivors of sex crimes. The organization offers its services for all age groups, gender identities, and sexual orientations. If you were a victim of a sex crime, this organization conducts forensic and medical examinations for the law enforcement agency overseeing the investigation into your case.
You can reach Assault Support Services of Midcoast Maine at 207-338-4622.
Get the Sexual Harassment Help You Deserve
One of the most important sexual harassment resources is a Maine-licensed employment attorney. Filing a claim for sexual harassment involves submitting convincing evidence, which at times can be difficult to obtain. Your sexual harassment claim might boil down to your word against the word of the other party. This means your lawyer must find and interview witnesses to build a strong enough claim.
If you want to file a civil lawsuit against your employer for sexual harassment in the workplace, you need the legal support of an employment lawyer to submit the most convincing evidence. Your employer will have legal representation fighting your claim, which means you should work with legal counsel to level the playing field. An attorney ensures you meet every deadline for filing the proper paperwork.
Complete the case evaluation form to schedule a free consultation with an employment law attorney.
