Sexual harassment in the workplace can make every day feel like a nightmare. State and federal laws exist to protect you. Unfortunately, it can be incredibly difficult to prove your case and get justice. If you have been sexually harassed on the job in Phoenix, AZ, a Phoenix sexual harassment lawyer at Houk Employment Attorneys is here to help.
Our lawyers have 45 years of experience fighting to protect the rights of clients like you. We’ve helped victims like you recover millions of dollars in compensation over the years. We have a proven track record of successfully helping clients like you get justice.
Contact our law offices in Phoenix, Arizona, to schedule a confidential consultation with a Phoenix sexual harassment attorney to learn more about how we can help at (480) 569-2377.
How Our Team at Houk Employment Attorneys Can Help if You’ve Been a Victim of Sexual Harassment in Phoenix
We know it can be hard to know where to turn for help. You might fear retaliation from your employer or co-workers. You don’t have to handle this situation alone. Our Phoenix employment lawyers have the skills to handle even the most complex employment matters.
You can count on our employment law attorneys in Phoenix at Houk Employment Attorneys to handle all of the details in your case, including:
- Ensuring you understand all of your rights and options
- Conducting our own investigation
- Collecting any evidence that can be used to support your case
- Evaluating your rights under state and federal law
- Identifying all parties who are responsible for the harassment
- Identifying your damages and documenting your losses
- Handling the paperwork and the entire claims process
If you’re being harassed in the workplace, don’t wait to get legal assistance. The sooner you consult an experienced Phoenix sexual harassment lawyer, the sooner we can take steps to stop the harassment. It’s also important that we start collecting evidence as soon as possible.
To start the legal process, call our law office today for a consultation with an experienced Phoenix employment lawyer.
Overview of the Laws Governing Sexual Harassment in Arizona
Arizona law prohibits sexual harassment in the workplace. It’s illegal to harass someone because of their sex under federal law via Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Any type of unwanted contact of a sexual nature in the workplace is prohibited under federal and state law.
Any unwelcome sexual contact or conduct is illegal under state or federal law when it:
- Is sufficiently severe or pervasive to alter the conditions of employment
- Creates an abusive or hostile work environment
The EEOC, however, only handles claims when an employer has at least 15 employees. You also have protections under the Arizona Civil Rights Act. Arizona law applies to any employer with even one employee.
How Do I Know Whether I Have a Valid Claim Under State or Federal Anti-Harassment Laws?
You are protected regardless of your gender or sexual orientation. You may also have a valid claim against someone of the same gender. You could even have a valid case if the unwelcome sexual slurs were not directed at you specifically.
Still, it can be tough to know whether you actually have a valid case.
Sexual harassment might include:
- Unwelcome sexual advances
- Requests for sexual favors
- Jokes and slurs of a sexual nature
- Comments about a person’s gender or sexual orientation
- Offensive gestures
- Sexual jokes
- Unwanted touching
- Insults about a person’s sex or sexual orientation
- Being offered a promotion in exchange for sexual favors
- Being threatened with adverse employment action for refusal to comply with sexual advances
Sexual harassment can occur in any number of scenarios. It’s important to understand that you can have an actionable sexual harassment claim even if you didn’t suffer any adverse economic consequences.
Further, the law prohibits harassment at any level in the workplace. You have rights regardless of whether the harasser was your supervisor, employer, co-worker, or even someone who wasn’t an employee. You also may have rights if the harassment only happened once.
How Do I Prove I Was a Victim of Sexual Harassment in Arizona?
There are two basic types of sexual harassment in Arizona: claims based on quid pro quo sexual harassment and hostile work environment claims.
Quid Pro Quo Harassment Claims
Quid pro quo is a Latin term that means “something for something”. As the name suggests, this type of harassment involves pressuring a victim to perform sexual favors in exchange for favorable treatment at work. It can also involve threats of adverse employment action.
Proving quid pro quo harassment means establishing that:
- You were exposed to conduct of a sexual nature
- You rejected any advances, and the conduct was unwelcome
- You were threatened or experienced some adverse employment decision as a result
You may also have been a victim of quid pro quo sexual harassment if you did something because of a fear of being fired.
Hostile Work Environment Claims
Sexual harassment claims can also be based on hostile and offensive working conditions.
Hostile work environment claims require proof that:
- You were subject to unwanted conduct or contact of a sexual nature
- The conduct was so pervasive that it created a hostile, intimidating, or offensive work environment
- The conduct unreasonably interfered with your employment or your work performance
In quid pro quo cases, it’s enough that the conduct or contact only happened once. In hostile work environment cases, however, the sexual conduct in question must be ongoing. Isolated jokes and comments won’t be sufficient to establish your rights.
What Is My Phoenix Sexual Harassment Case Worth?
Stopping the abuse is the most important thing. That said, sexual harassment can have a dramatic impact on your life. The damages can be unexpected.
You may have lost valuable career opportunities and suffered significant trauma due to the hostile environment and inappropriate behavior. Some victims suffer actual physical trauma.
When determining the value of your claim for compensation, our lawyers in Phoenix evaluate many different factors, including:
- Whether you missed out on promotions or career opportunities due to harassment
- How the harassment impacted your earnings and future earning potential
- The types of physical and mental trauma you have suffered due to the harassment
- Your employer’s response to the situation
- Whether your employer had policies and procedures in place to prevent this type of workplace harassment and whether they were enforced or ignored
- How long the harassment continued without a remedy
- The ways in which the harassment impacted your personal life and relationships
- Whether you suffered due to retaliation after you reported the harassment or refused sexual advances
Sexual harassment claims are incredibly fact-specific. Consulting an experienced Phoenix sexual harassment attorney is the best way to get information about your case value and how to proceed.
Our team at Houk Employment Attorneys has the tools to handle any type of sexual harassment or discrimination claim. Contact us today to learn more about your legal rights.
What Types of Damages Are Available to Victims of Sexual Harassment in Phoenix?
As the victim of sexual harassment, you can take legal action to hold both your harasser and employer responsible. These cases are civil matters. The remedy is compensation.
There are two primary types of compensation in Arizona: economic damages and non-economic damages. Generally speaking, economic damages compensate for financial losses, and non-economic damages compensate for non-financial losses.
Some examples of common economic damages include:
- Lost wages and back pay if your earnings were impacted
- Medical treatment costs
- Mental health counseling
- Future medical bills, therapy expenses, and counseling costs
- Lost future earning potential
- Attorneys’ fees and court costs
Any type of financial loss you have experienced should be accounted for.
Your non-economic damages are also important to consider.
Victims of sexual harassment may also recover for:
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional trauma and distress
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Diminished quality of life
- Fear and humiliation
- Damage to relationships
Many victims wonder how they can recover compensation from a harasser with limited resources. Your employer can be liable for the acts of any employee. That makes it particularly important to report the harassment as quickly as possible. If your employer fails to take effective steps to stop the harassment, they may be just as culpable.
How Long Do I Have to File a Lawsuit for Sexual Harassment in Arizona?
The deadline for filing a claim depends on the laws that apply in your case. Under federal law, you have 180 days from the date the harassment took place to take legal action. However, the applicable deadline may be extended to 300 days from the date of the harassment if a state or local agency also has a law prohibiting discrimination on the same basis.
Contact a Phoenix Sexual Harassment Lawyer for a Consultation
Do you have questions about your legal rights and options in Phoenix, AZ? Contact our Phoenix sexual harassment lawyer at Houk Employment Attorneys for a confidential consultation today.
Visit Our Employment Law Office Located in Phoenix, AZ
Houk Employment Attorneys
1850 N Central Ave Suite 2010, Phoenix, AZ 85004
(480) 569-2377
