With the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, American workers finally had a legal tool to fight back against discrimination in the workplace.
The landmark law prohibits discrimination in the workplace based on several criteria, including, race, gender, disability, and religion. One of the lesser-known facts of the civil rights law is you also receive protection against discrimination in the workplace based on sex.
This means your employer cannot allow acts of sexual harassment to harm you in any way while you are on the job.
If you face sexual harassment in the workplace, you should access one or more of the many sexual harassment resources. Sexual harassment help comes in the form of administrative and emotional support resources, as well as the legal support provided by an employment law attorney.
Administrative Resources
You have the legal right to file a claim against your employer with the proper state and federal government agency. However, you should refer to closer-to-home sexual harassment resources first before getting government agencies involved with your case.
When you went through the onboarding process, you received an employee manual that describes a wide variety of your company’s policies. Tucked deep within your employee manual should be a section that explains what you should do if you experience sexual harassment in the workplace.
The first thing to do involves letting your manager know about your predicament. Your employer is legally responsible for investigating your complaint. If you do not receive the result of the investigation that you deserve, then you get sexual harassment help by filing a complaint with the Ohio Civil Rights Commission.
When the Ohio Civil Rights Commission receives your sexual harassment claim, the state agency notifies your employer before conducting an extensive investigation. The state agency offers you and your employer a mediation service to settle your complaint and if mediation cannot resolve your complaint, an investigation ensues to determine the validity of it.
You also can file a sexual harassment complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Getting sexual harassment help from the EEOC requires you to submit a Charge of Discrimination form that describes in detail the specifics of your complaint.
The EEOC and the Ohio Civil Rights Commission share information concerning discrimination complaints. You initiate the EEOC sexual harassment complaint process by calling 800-669-4000 or by visiting one of the federal agency’s field offices.
Emergency Resources for Victims
Sexual harassment in the workplace can turn into a sex crime. Repeated unwanted sexual advances frustrate the perpetrator of sexual harassment enough to force the perpetrator to break the law. If you are a victim of a sex crime at work, you need to know how to react with a sense of urgency.
First, you call 911 to activate the emergency system operated by the nearest law enforcement agency. A detective from the law enforcement agency conducts a thorough investigation that includes interviewing you and the alleged assailant.
Contacting the proper authorities after a sex crime ensures you receive emergency medical care, which can reveal vital evidence to support your allegations. Make sure to contact an attorney to determine whether you should file criminal charges.
Emotional Support Resources
Sexual harassment resources in Ohio include organizations that provide emotional support. As a victim of a sex crime and/or sexual harassment, you might feel emotions such as fear, anxiety, and embarrassment.
The OhioHealth Sexual Assault Response Network provides advocacy and emotional support services in a partnership with the OhioHealth Emergency Departments. You can reach the organization at 614-267-7020.
Every state offers a crisis hotline to help victims of sex crimes and sexual harassment cope with troubling emotions. By calling 844-644-6435, you receive confidential counseling services offered by trained advocates.
You receive information about the options you have to improve your emotional well-being, as well as information concerning how to remain productive in the workforce.
Get Help Today
The longer you wait to access sexual harassment resources, the longer you can expect to put the harrowing incidents of sexual harassment behind you.
A proactive response that includes contacting an employment lawyer can get you the sexual harassment help you need to move forward with your life. Your attorney will conduct an investigation into your case, as well as act as an intermediary between you and the government agency that processes your complaint.
To get immediate sexual harassment help, fill out the free case evaluation form to connect with a lawyer who can direct you to the right sexual harassment resources.
Additional Resources
Ohio Workplace Sexual Harassment
