In most high‐profile sexual harassment cases, for instance, those against Bill Cosby, Herman Cain (remember him?), and now Harvey Weinstein, there are reports that women have come forward even though they signed a nondisclosure agreement or “gag order” as part of an earlier settlement agreement. Before we examine why people would violate these agreements, let’s […]
November 16, 2017 In early October of 2017, The New York Times published a damning article about Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein and his long history of sexual harassment. The story seemingly opened a floodgate where women came forward to share their own stories, and this resulted in numerous high-profile people from all industries ranging from
Law Crossing: 5 Steps to Fighting Sexual Harassment within Law Firms Read More »
If you’re the victim of harassment, when you do the right thing and report it, your employer should start a good faith investigation into your allegations. Strictly speaking, there’s no law mandating that an investigation be done, but courts have interpreted antidiscrimination laws as requiring the employer to investigate if it wants to avoid liability.
What If My Employer Doesn’t Investigate My Sexual Harassment Complaint? Read More »
If an employer receives a complaint of sexual harassment or has reason to suspect that harassment is occurring, that employer should investigate, in good faith, whether harassment is actually going on. Strictly speaking, no statute requires that sexual harassment in the workplace be investigated, but depending on the circumstances, a good-faith investigation may result in a
Should My Employer Investigate My Sexual Harassment Complaint? Read More »
If you are the victim of sexual harassment, the law is not a mathematical formula. If it is serious enough, a single act of harassment could be considered illegal sexual harassment, though generally, the more often it happens, the stronger the case. For example, if a billionaire real estate developer grabbed a female employee’s genitals
Can I Have a Case for Sexual Harassment If Something Happened Once? Read More »
November 23, 2016 What to do if you are being harassed? Tom Spiggle, founder of Spiggle Law Firm, told Forbes that there was a series of actions people can do if they’re being sexually harassed at work. 1. Talk to an experienced sexual harassment lawyer. Spiggle said that one obstacle women encounter when meeting with Human
The JD Journal: How to Handle Sexual Harassment at Law Firms Read More »
Depending on which side you are on, the situation in the case discussed in this blog is a real-life “soap opera” or ongoing sexual harassment and retaliation that threatened the career of an up-and-coming college professor. Unless the case settles or is dismissed, a $20 million lawsuit against a world-famous business school will be tried
Assistant Professor Sues Columbia University for Sexual Harassment and Retaliation Read More »
Ideally, an employer has policies in place to discourage sexual harassment. If a claim is reported, the company should investigate and take appropriate steps if it determines that harassment took place. In Smith v. Rock-Tenn Services, Inc., a recent case decided by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, the court laid out
How Must an Employer Respond to a Sexual Harassment Complaint? Read More »
If a person works in a professional field, it doesn’t mean that he or she acts professionally. Doctors, accountants, and lawyers can all sexually harass others. A harasser is one who wants to exploit his or her position of power for personal gratification, no matter what his or her job title may be. Attorneys
Does Sexual Harassment Happen in Professional Firms? Read More »
The issue of whether federal law prohibiting sexual harassment included situations where both parties are of the same sex was decided by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1998. In the case deciding the issue, all the justices agreed that same sex harassment violated Title VII of the federal Civil Rights Act of 1964. Since then,
Can Sexual Harassment Happen When Both Parties Are the Same Sex? Read More »
