Sexual Harassment Attorney – New York

Sexual harassment, a form of gender discrimination, in the workplace is prohibited by New York City, New York State, and federal laws. While women are most frequently the victims of sexual harassment, New York law protects every employee regardless of sexual identity or expression.

Examples of Sexual Harassment

The law prohibits inappropriate or unwelcome physical contact, including touching, kissing, hugging, standing too close or intentionally brushing up against a person, sexually explicit or suggestive comments, jokes, teasing, or innuendo, commentary or questions about your sex life, body, or clothing, inappropriate “complements” about looking good or other physical characterizes, verbal abuse or derogatory comments of a sexual or gender-specific nature, or staring, leering, whistling, or obscene gestures, discussion of sexual exploits, lewd behavior, name-calling or displaying, posting, or circulating in the workplace emails, pictures, cartoons, or other written or graphic material of a sexually-explicit, demeaning, or obscene nature, and the use of threats, coercion or promises of benefit to obtain sexual favors among many other inappropriate behaviors.

Hostile Work Environment

Sexual harassment need not be directed specifically at you to be actionable. If open and notorious, the misconduct can be directed to a group of employees in an office or department in which you work. For example, comments yelled out by a supervisor or co-worker to the department or directed at others which you overhear may create an unlawful hostile environment if they are so offensive, intimidating, or abusive that it interferes with your or a coworker’s ability to perform their work by creating an intimidating, hostile, or abusive environment.

An employer must prevent a hostile work environment and must take steps to do so even if the harasser is a non-employee like a customer or third-party vendor on the premises.

Unlawful Retaliation

If an employee makes a complaint about being sexually harassed, it is illegal for the employer, its managers, supervisors or rank and file employees to retaliate against you. Unlawful retaliation can involve discharge, suspension, discipline, change of schedule, denial of a promotion, cut in pay or change in responsibilities or other terms and conditions of employment.

What to do?

Do not quit your job before contacting us. Call 212.868.6300 to speak with an attorney in a free telephone review of your circumstances. We can offer advice on practical steps you should take and whether you have a case.