Boston Employment Lawyer Blog
Sexual harassment has been a major topic of discussion in recent months. This should be no surprise, considering how widespread the problem has been for decades, centuries, probably since the beginning of time. The modern concept of sexual harassment is relatively new, however, dating from the 1970s onwards. And women’s voices are finally being heard.
Workplace sexual harassment is a violation of human rights and a shockingly common form of sex-based discrimination. Sexual harassment in the workplace often goes unreported as it starts at the top. Regardless, in light of the recent Hollywood scandals, including Harvey Weinstein, Kevin Spacey and Louis C.K., women having started coming forward in greater numbers to report workplace sexual misconduct. Further, the #MeToo campaign has encouraged women to speak out, and new allegations seem to be turning up every day. One of the most recent involves Hall of Fame quarterback, Warren Moon.
The Washington Post’s Craig Whitlock recently reported that a California woman filed a lawsuit against Warren Moon, accusing the ex-football player of sexual harassment. According to Whitlock, Moon “committed sexual battery by grabbing the woman’s crotch” during a trip to Seattle earlier this year.
Moon Drugged His Victim’s Drink
The lawsuit also alleges that Moon drugged 32-year-old Wendy Haskell’s drink and pulled off her bathing suit during an October trip to Mexico. Haskell was hired in July as Moon’s executive assistant. A Boston workplace discrimination attorney can help you determine how to proceed if you’ve been sexually harassed at work.
Unfortunately, women often suffer further from the process of reporting sexual harassment. In addition to the shame and adherence to cultural norms that frequently prevents women from speaking out, they commonly fear an onslaught of other consequences, such as work degradations, humiliation, and retaliation. Haskell was not “only” a victim of sexual harassment, she was also a victim of those consequences.
According to Haskell’s lawsuit, Sports 1 Marketing – the company she worked for, which was owned by Moon – demoted her when she made superiors aware of Moon’s actions. She alleges that Moon “required her to wear thong underwear and share his bed” when they were together on business trips. This is an egregious form of sexual abuse, and reports of such violations should never result in further punishment of the victim. A MA employment law attorney can help you recover damages if you’ve been the victim of workplace sexual harassment.
About One-Third of all Workplace Discrimination Claims are Sex-Based
According to the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), a government agency responsible for processing sexual harassment complaints, between 25% and 85% of women report experiencing workplace sexual harassment. In their comprehensive report from 2016, EEOC says that of the total number of harassment charges received in 2015, approximately 45% were sex-based. This equates to about one third of all complaints (90,000 complaints in 2015). As shocking as these statistics are, keep in mind that these are only reported cases. There are likely just as many, if not more, that go unreported. It’s time to make a change.
Altman & Altman, LLP – Boston’s Top Workplace Sexual Harassment Law Firm
If you’ve been discriminated against at work, the skilled legal team at Altman & Altman, LLP can help. We have been protecting the rights of victims of workplace sexual harassment for more than 50 years. Our experienced, knowledgeable attorneys have an impressive track record of obtaining compensation for our clients. If you have been sexually harassed at work, you may be entitled to compensation for medical expenses, pain and suffering, lost wages, and other associated costs. Don’t go through this difficult time alone. We can help. Contact Altman & Altman, LLP today for a free and confidential consultation about your case.
