You deserve to be safe at work. This means that your environment should be free from discrimination and sexual harassment. Yet, both types of behaviors are common in Colorado workplaces, causing significant harm to workers. Unfortunately, many victims of sexual harassment don’t know what to do when they’ve been subjected to this egregious behavior, which can put them in a difficult position when they want to stop the behavior and take action for harm that’s been caused to them. That’s why we want to look at what your next steps should be after being sexually harassed.
There are a lot of actions you can take after being sexually harassed. This includes the following:
- Document all interactions that you have with your harasser so that you can quickly recall the details.
- Gather any records that demonstrate your work performance since your employer will probably rely on an argument of poor performance if an adverse employment action is taken against you.
- Be clear with your harasser that the behavior needs to stop.
- Be unequivocal that the behavior directed toward you makes you feel uncomfortable.
- Follow your company’s policies for reporting sexual harassment.
- Report the harassment to your employer’s human resources department.
- Consider reporting the harassment to the Colorado Civil Rights Division.
- Learn about what legal action looks like.
- Gather contact information for witnesses.
- Track your damages.
Don’t let your employer get away with sexual harassment
Sometimes in the workplace it’s up to you to protect your rights and your interests. There’s a good chance that no one else is going to stand up for you unless you act to bring the matter to a close and take legal action. You can have a legal advocate in your corner during this process, too, which could prove beneficial. So, if you’ve been sexually harassed at work, then now is the time to start developing a plan for your next steps.