How To Document Sexual Harassment

If you are the victim of sexual harassment at work, you may be able to claim compensation by bringing a discrimination charge to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. If you do not adequately document your experiences, it will be harder for you to win your case. In many situations, employees fail to document and report sexual harassment. To assist you in documenting sexual misconduct at the workplace, Sexual Harassment Lawyers of Pasadena has outlined how to do it correctly.

Complain About Sexual Harassment

If you are the victim of sexual harassment, you must alert your company’s human resources department or a person designated to handle complaints. In certain situations, complaining about sexual harassment might be sufficient to end it, allowing you to avoid the legal procedure of filing a sexual harassment claim. Furthermore, there are several legal reasons for reporting sexual harassment internally. Because companies can defend against sexual harassment allegations on the basis of poor supervision, they may argue that if a complaint had been submitted, they would have addressed the problem. If the aggressor is your coworker, you won’t be held responsible unless you’ve previously complained about the sexual harassment and given your company an opportunity to address it.

State What Happened With Specificity

When drafting your internal complaint, don’t be hesitant. Describe the event in detail, including the dates, times, and persons who witnessed it. If your tormentor handled your genitals or breasts without consent, state it plainly in your statement.

Make Your Complaint In Writing And Not Orally

If you complain about sexual harassment to your employer in person, there will be no record of it. Your employer is likely to claim that you were upset over your supervisor’s behavior rather than reporting sexual harassment. Always write down your complaint and retain a copy. The date you submit your complaint should be noted, as well as the specifics of what occurred.

Keep Copies Of All of Your Documents

Keep all of the evidence of sexual harassment. If your harasser has sent you text messages or emails, preserve them in a secure location at home. At work, do not keep copies of your documentation in your desk drawer or on your work computer. If you are fired, your records may be lost. It may be more difficult to prove your sexual harassment case without evidence or witnesses. 

Follow Your Company’s Complaint Process

Many organizations have policies on sexual harassment. Check your employer’s policy to be sure you’re lodging a complaint with the proper person. To ensure that your complaint is handled at the highest levels and investigated, follow up.

Keep Careful And Thorough Notes

When you record what is going on at work in your journal, don’t overlook anything that may be acted upon as sexual harassment. On the day of the incident, describe it in detail. To preserve a paper trail of the harasser’s actions, date each entry.

Don’t Make Any Admissions

Never write admissions in your diary. You should not, for example, describe how you did not realize you were being sexually harassed until a certain date.

Do Not Try To Justify The Actions Of Your Harasser

You shouldn’t write down justifications for your harasser’s behavior while you’re going through the trauma of being sexually harassed. Avoid writing things like “I thought my supervisor was only being polite.” Those kinds of remarks will be used against you.

Take Care When Choosing Witnesses

You should never include someone as a witness to sexual harassment who was not there. You should also avoid putting down individuals who are unlikely to tell the truth. These types of errors might have a significant impact on your case. Sexual Harassment Lawyers of Pasadena can assist you in evaluating potential witnesses to best prove your sexual harassment case.

Be Very Specific About What You Want Your Employer To Do In Your Complaint

It’s critical to include all of your expectations in writing when you submit a complaint to your employer. You should also avoid stating things like “I’m okay with dealing with my harasser and don’t want him or her to be fired.” Including such comments might help your employer argue that you consented to work with your harasser. Your lawyer can assess your case and assist you in thinking through how to convey the behavior you want to see, as well as avoiding problematic remarks.

Talk To Our Employment And Sexual Harassment Lawyers

It might be hard to deal with a sexual harassment claim on your own. Sexual Harassment Lawyers of Pasadena have worked on many cases and know how to build your case. We can assist you in learning how to properly document your experiences. If you submit a well-documented sexual harassment claim and your employer fails to properly investigate it or make any remedial action, the next step will be to file a discrimination and sexual harassment complaint with the EEOC. Contact us now for assistance with the procedure as well as information about your legal choices. 

Contact Sexual Harassment Lawyers of Pasadena at (888) 299-1998 if you have been subjected to sexual harassment. Our sexual harassment lawyers handle all types of sexual harassment cases on a contingency basis. That means we do not get paid unless and until we obtain a settlement or verdict on your behalf.