All employees working in the United States have the option of making a formal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission complaint against the alleged sexual harassment in the workplace.
Activision Blizzard announced it had reached a settlement agreement late last year with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) in response to a complaint the agency filed accusing the company of subjecting female employees to sexual harassment and retaliating against them for complaining about harassment. The company also “discriminated against employees due to their pregnancy,” as the complaint alleged. As part of that agreement Activision Blizzard will set up an $18 million fund “to compensate and make amends to eligible claimants.” Any remaining amount will either be donated to charities focused on harassment, gender equality and women in the video game industry, or will be used to create diversity and inclusion initiatives within the company. Sexual harassment in the workplace is nothing new, but the protections from its continued growth continue to be expanded to be more inclusive as noted in 2020 Supreme Court of the United States ruling in favor of gay, lesbian, and transgender employee rights from discrimination based on sex. A California sexual harassment lawyer can guide actions for victims to take in order to remedy their unique situation.
Reporting
As reported by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), victims of sex-based harassment often deny, or tone down an egregious situation to avoid, or ignore the negative behavior and endanger their job stability or career advancement. When victims do not report, third parties can report actions of harassment, and in some instances this type of “third-party reporting” reduces the stigma on the first accuser, or victim of the abuse. An estimated three out of four employees who have experienced some form of sexual harassment at work do not even report it to their supervisor, or human resources department. Victims and/or witnesses to sexual harassment, or workplace discrimination in Irvine can report it. It is always best to check with the employer policy manual to ascertain steps to follow at the specific workplace where the incident occurred and consult with sexual harassment lawyers in Irvine.
Complaints
Complaints should include proof of the allegations whenever possible to support claims taken to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). When investigating allegations of sexual harassment, EEOC looks at the circumstances, such as the nature of the sexual advances, and the context in which the alleged incidents occurred. A positive settlement award may be the result of a strong case presented by skilled sexual harassment attorneys.
Legal counsel
Victims of sexual harassment have legal options and discussing the situation with a knowledgeable lawyer is the first thing a victim, witness, or third-party should do after reporting the abuse through the proper channels at a place of employment.
- Direct reporting to the managing director of the harasser, and the human resources office.
- Requesting mediation as an informal solution to resolve the office problems by utilizing the services of a trained mediator who may be able to facilitate communications between the parties in dispute. An employer is obligated to assist in this process if an employee requests this method to resolve the work-related sexual harassment.
- Grievance procedures. Many employers have policies to address grievances on equal employment opportunity matters to be kept in house regarding alleged sexual harassment, depending upon the type of employment relationship between employees and the employer.
- All employees working in the United States have the option of making a formal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission complaint against the alleged sexual harassment in the workplace, but it must be initiated within forty-five days of the alleged incident and follow all other requirements under the law. If an employee does not wish to proceed with any other steps before contacting EEOC, they do not need to and may seek alternate professional counsel for guidance.
Sources:
- https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/activision-blizzard-says-it-will-pay-18-million-to-settle-harassment-claims/ar-AAOTpMS
- https://www.justice.gov/crt/fcs/TitleVI-Overview
- https://www.ada.gov/
Join the conversation!