Quid Pro Quo Sexual Harassment
Asking employees for sexual favors in exchange for promotions, raises, or under the threat of termination and retaliation is illegal. This is known as “quid pro quo” sexual harassment, and an exchange of a sexual favor for some workplace incentive is key to identifying this form of abuse.
A sexual favor can be anything from a physical act to a request for explicit photographs of the victim, or even submission to ongoing sexual harassment. Under no circumstances can anyone at work make such a deal with you.
If you have been offered anything in exchange for a sexual favor at work, even if it was to avoid a reprimand or termination, immediately consult with our sexual harassment attorney in Sacramento for help. Remember: You don’t have to have been given an overt offer to pursue a claim. In many cases, it’s possible to hold responsible parties accountable for quid pro quo sexual harassment even if the exchange was strongly implied.
What People Often Don’t Know about Sexual Harassment Cases
Sexual harassment is often talked about in pop culture and mass media, but in addition to some misunderstandings, there’s also a pretty wide gap in knowledge about this topic.
Here are some things about sexual harassment that often go unsaid:
- You don’t have to be directly involved. You can still file a complaint if your coworker is the target of sexual harassment but knowing it’s going on impacts your ability to work.
- Sexual harassment doesn’t have to be verbal or physical. The passive display of sexually explicit imagery on calendars, computer screens, in emails, and other places is enough to file a lawsuit.
- Under no circumstances is it legal for an employer to retaliate. Even if your lawsuit is unsuccessful, your employer cannot take action against you for reporting sexual harassment or suing the company for it. If you were fired, you may have grounds for a wrongful termination lawsuit.
- Your employer can be held liable even if you voluntarily quit. The statute of limitations for a claim lasts one year from the last time it occurred. This means you have time to decide what you want to do, even if that includes leaving the employer upon your own accord.
Get the Most out of Your Free Case Evaluation
The Law Office of Jeffrey D. Fulton offers all prospective clients with a free opportunity to discuss a harassment claim with our Sacramento attorney. We hold these case evaluations in strict confidence – even if you do not decide to hire us, under no circumstances will any part of your discussion with our attorney be revealed to any third party.
Whether you are confident about pursuing a lawsuit or want to explore your options, we reserve this free case evaluation for you to tell us about your situation and learn more about how we may be able to help.
We encourage all who intend to come in for a case evaluation to write down any and all questions you may have about your situation, what’s involved in a lawsuit, or other matters that concern you. We also believe it’s helpful for potential clients to come to us with a detailed account of what happened to them that includes as many hard facts (dates, times, locations, names of individuals, etc.) as possible.
If you’re ready to reach out to us to schedule a case evaluation, get in touch by filling out our online contact form or calling (916) 318-3388 for help.
