Atlanta Harassment/Hostile Workplace Attorney
Employers who enable harassment or the formation of hostile work environments can be held financially liable for an employee’s damages, including emotional damage, financial damages due to job loss or lost opportunities, and medical expenses due to physical or emotional harm. Whether you are a victimized employee or an employer who has been accused of wrongdoing, you need to contact an attorney for help. Atlanta harassment/hostile workplace attorney Christine Forsythe at The Forsythe Law Firm, LLC has years of experience helping employees and employers in such matters.
When an Employee Should File a Harassment or Hostile Work Environment Claim
Workplace harassment is more common than most people think. Women, people of color, and the LGBTQ+ community are the most likely victims of employer harassment and hostile work environments. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) defines harassment as unwelcome conduct based on an employee’s real or perceived race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy, national origin, age if over 40, disability, or genetic information. Examples of harassment include physical or verbal threats, intimidation, ridicule, slurs, name calling, offensive pictures, and any other conduct that interferes with an employee’s work performance. According to the EEOC, an employee should file a harassment or hostile work claim when the offensive conduct has 1) become a condition of continued employment, or 2) the conduct is severe or pervasive enough to create a work environment that a reasonable person would consider intimidating, hostile, or abusive. It should be noted that an employer does not have to engage in harassment themselves to be liable for a harassment or hostile work environment claim. Employers must take appropriate steps to keep harassment from occurring in the first place, or take immediate action against the perpetrator if harassment has occurred.
How an Employer Should Respond to Allegations of Harassment
If an employee has complained about a manager, co-worker, contractor, or non-employee’s offensive and harassing behavior, they must investigate the matter and take swift action. To ensure that harassment does not happen on their watch, employers should create a complaint or grievance process for their employees, utilize anti-harassment training for their entire staff, and take every complaint seriously by taking immediate action. Failure to do so can lead to a harassment or hostile work environment claim in which the employer may be held liable for the employee’s damages.
Retaliation
If an employer retaliates against an employee who has complained about harassment, they can be successfully sued for retaliation whether harassment took place or not. It is unlawful for an employee to fire, threaten, demote, or take a negative employment action against an employee for filing a harassment claim or cooperating in an investigation.
Call an Atlanta Harassment/Hostile Workplace Attorney Today
Harassment claims must be handled by a competent, experienced employment litigator. Here at The Forsythe Law Firm, LLC, we are adept at handling either side of harassment disputes, giving our firm insight into the other party’s likely strategy. Christine Forsythe has tried numerous cases to verdict at the state and federal level. Do not hesitate to call 404.476.2717 today to schedule a consultation with Atlanta harassment attorney Christine Forsythe.
