On many occasions, it can happen that you are a victim of workplace harassment in Illinois, also known as workplace bullying or 'mobbing', even without realizing it. Some examples of the most common ones tend to be on a horizontal scale, that is, among coworkers with the same hierarchy at work; descending vertical, that is when someone who is in a higher position in the work hierarchy does it to someone lower and ascending vertical which although it is the least common, occurs when someone of lower level in the work hierarchy does it to someone higher.
Likewise, the stages are classified according to the severity with which they are carried out, for example:
- Minor harassment: is verbal in nature and includes compliments, sexual jokes, phone calls, sexual innuendos, etc.
- Moderate harassment: is non-verbal and without physical contact, such as suggestive looks, grimaces, letters, etc.
- Severe harassment: Occurs verbally and with physical contact, such as pinching, unwanted roses, kisses and unwanted hugs, sexual assault, threats, etc.
If you consider it necessary, you should contact Conexión Legal as soon as possible by calling us at 1800 201 1220 or writing to us via WhatsApp so you can receive the best free consultation, and in this way we can help you obtain the highest possible compensation. Every day, many employees suffer sexual harassment or workplace harassment in Illinois, even if they have no idea that this type of act is considered a crime that must be reported to the authorities and for which you can request support and legal representation from an attorney in Illinois with experience in matters of this nature.
According to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, harassment means "unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors and other verbal or physical behavior of a sexual nature, when that behavior explicitly or implicitly subjects a person, unreasonably interferes with a person's work performance, or creates a frightening, hostile or abusive work environment".
According to this institution, workplace harassment in Illinois or sexual harassment can have a variety of characteristics that include, among others, the following:
- The victim and the harasser can be a woman or a man.
- The victim does not have to be of the opposite sex.
- The harasser can be the victim's manager, an employer representative, a manager from another area, a colleague or a person not employed by the company, such as a customer or supplier.
- The victim does not have to be necessarily the person being harassed, since it can be any person affected by the criminal behavior.
- Harassment can occur without economic loss or dismissal of the victim.
- The harasser's behavior should not be welcomed.
While the law does not prohibit simple teasing, off-the-cuff comments or isolated incidents, the conduct is reportable if it occurs frequently, becomes a condition for job retention or if the behavior is severe enough to create an environment in which the person is harmed. A research article titled "The Impact of Workplace Harassment on the Health of a Working Cohort" from Harvard University produced interesting results about sexual harassment based on the impressions of 4,459 flight attendants from the United States and Canada.
This study suggests that up to 50% of American women have experienced sexual harassment during their working lives, but only a minority report it. Verbal abuse was mentioned by 63% of respondents, sexual harassment by 26% and sexual assault by cabin crew in 2%.
If you have identified with these situations or want to how you can recognize sexual harassment in the workplace you should contact Conexión Legal as soon as possible so you can receive free legal consultation and in your case we can help you obtain the highest compensation from the hand of an attorney in Illinois professional and highly committed to state laws.
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