TAMPA SEXUAL HARASSMENT ATTORNEY

Sexual Harassment Lawyer Tampa

It is unlawful to harass a person (an applicant or employee) because of that person’s sex. Harassment can include “sexual harassment” or unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors and other verbal or physical harassment of a sexual nature.

Harassment does not have to be of a sexual nature, however, and can include offensive remarks about a person’s sex. For example, it is illegal to harass a woman by making offensive comments about women in general.

Both victim and the harasser can be either a woman or a man, and the victim and harasser can be the same sex.

Although the law doesn’t prohibit simple teasing, offhand comments, or isolated incidents that are not very serious, harassment is illegal when it is so frequent or severe that it creates a hostile or offensive work environment or when it results in an adverse employment decision (such as the victim being fired or demoted).

The harasser can be the victim's supervisor, a supervisor in another area, a co-worker, or someone who is not an employee of the employer, such as a client or customer.

It is extremely important for the person being harassed to follow company procedures/guidelines in reporting the harassment. It is therefore important for the person being harassed to review his/her employee handbook or employer’s sexual harassment policy regarding who to report the sexual harassment to. Once reported, the employer has an obligation to end the conduct. The law also prohibits the employer from retaliating against the employee who complains of sexual harassment.

If you feel that you have been or are being harassed due to your sex, contact our office to speak with an attorney directly.

Case law provides some standard examples of sexual harassment in the workplace:

• Leering or staring in a sexually suggestive manner
• Offensive remarks about appearance, attire or body parts
• Touching in a way that may make one uncomfortable, such as patting, pinching, or brushing up against one’s body
• Telling lewd sexual jokes or making lewd gestures
• Sending, forwarding, or soliciting sexually suggestive letters, text messages or images

Other forms of non-sexual harassment in the workplace:

• This list is not exhaustive, contact us directly to see if you are being harassed.

If you feel that you have been harassed based on your sex and that a hostile situation has been created as a result of this unfavorable behavior, contact us to discuss the specifics of your case.

As each situation is unique, all individuals are strongly encouraged to seek legal counsel to determine the nature and severity of their personal situation, which is why we offer a free consultation. Please call Thompson Legal Center at 813.769.3900.