Denver Sexual Harassment Lawyers
Legal Protection For Employees In Hostile Work Environments
Sexual harassment was originally considered to be legal following the passage of Title VII. Sex discrimination was thought to mean something different than conduct involving sexual treatment.
Not until some years later did the courts decide that:
- Sex discrimination does encompass sexual harassment
- The gender discrimination rules in Title VII should apply to prohibit this kind of conduct.
Although our employment law attorneys in Denver have helped many individuals struggling with sexual harassment in the workplace, at Colorado Employee Advocates, we understand that no two cases are unique, and we treat them as such. Let our attorneys help protect your rights.
We want to hear your story. Schedule your initial consultation by calling 720-759-2795 or by contacting our experienced sexual harassment lawyers online.
Workplace Sexual Harassment Law: Brief Background
The first types of sexual harassment cases recognized under Title VII involved the sexual blackmail of employees. A female employee would sue, for example, because she was required to submit to a sexual act as a condition of continuing her employment or engaging in a sexual relationship in order to secure a promotion or prevent a termination.
This type of “tangible” harassment involved harassment relating to the terms and conditions of employment. In these early cases, employees were required to show that the sexual blackmail occurred only to employees of one sex and not to both sexes.
Sexual Harassment And Hostile Work Environments
In the 1980s, the EEOC and the federal courts began to recognize another kind of sexual harassment, namely a “hostile work environment.”
Under this theory, an employee could recover from an environment of sexual harassment if the offensive conduct itself:
- Became a condition of employment; or
- Was so severe or pervasive that a reasonable person would consider it intimidating, hostile, or abusive.
As the law developed in this area, courts permitted workers to recover compensation if the conduct complained about was “because of sex.” Courts also now permit recovery for “equal opportunity harassment” or when both women and men are being harassed.
Furthermore, the claim of a hostile work environment has been extended to cover what the words imply. Thus, for example, a female who is simply subjected to nonsexual abuse and cruelty “because of her sex” may have a hostile work environment claim.
Likewise, the claim applies to racial harassment, where members of a racial group suffer racial epithets and jokes.
Workplace Sexual Harassment And Transgender Issues
It is still unsettled as to whether Title VII applies to sexual orientation and transgender issues. Under the Colorado Fair Employment Practices Act, Colorado employees have a clear remedy for discrimination based on sexual orientation.
We Have A Record Of Success In Sexual Harassment Cases
Colorado Employee Advocates successfully brought the first sexual harassment case in the country under Title VII (see Heelan v. Johns-Manville Corp., 451 F. Supp. 1382 [D. Colo. 1978]).
In 2015, Justin Plaskov successfully obtained a record-breaking $14 million punitive damages verdict on behalf of seven mail handlers in a racial harassment case (see here).
Contact our experienced sexual harassment attorneys online or call 720-759-2795 to learn more.