Sexual Harassment

HOUSTON, Texas. The confidentiality of some sexual harassment settlements has left some wondering whether they harm or protect individuals who have been harassed in the workplace. According to the Nation, many sexual harassment settlements come with confidentiality clauses. In many cases, larger companies or universities are willing to make confidential settlements with employees in order to avoid the bad publicity that goes along with a sexual harassment court case. Sometimes a private settlement can lead to a faster resolution. Many claims, in fact, are resolved in this manner before a case even goes to court. Court cases are public and are likely to draw the attention of the media. With a confidential settlement, the bad press is avoided.

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HOUSTON, Texas. What does it take to be believed? One woman writing for the New York Times, recently wrote about the arduous process of fighting her sexual harasser—who happened to be a professor. What does it take to fight back? Lawyers. Meetings with former co-workers, meetings with former co-workers in which former co-workers fail to defend you. Your emails may be read. Your former love life may be put on the stand. Women who fight sexual harassment may not only need an employment law attorney, they may need a public relations team. For women who work for smaller companies, smaller industries, or those who don’t have the money to pay for a whole legal team, sexual assault and harassment can be damaging personally and for their career. It may be years before women choose to fight back. And when they do, they may not be believed or they may be asked why they didn’t speak up sooner.

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HOUSTON, Texas. If you are facing sexual harassment in the workplace, it is important to report it as soon as possible. If we were living in a perfect world, women who reported sexual harassment to human resources would be heard and protected. Unfortunately, many women who report sexual harassment face a long road to justice. According to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, anywhere between 87 and 94 percent of people don’t report sexual harassment. According to Bustle, many people don’t report harassment because they fear reprisal, retaliation, and stress. The New York Times recently released a series of videos that highlight the serious costs women pay when they report sexual harassment on the job. For the women who worked at Uber, she had to change teams and eventually left the company. HR gave her the option of staying on the team led by her harasser (where she was told she might face a bad review) or the option of leaving the team. The situation highlights how easy sexual harassment on the job can lead to lost opportunities. For a woman who worked for Bill O’Reilly, she reached a private settlement, but has never worked in television since. When sexual harassment comes from the top (executives, managers, bosses), individuals can face lost jobs, lost opportunities, or retaliation. When individuals are sexually harassed, they may face tough choices. Report the harassment, or leave the job; or, report the harassment and risk facing backlash from managers and other leaders in the company. These decisions can leave individuals choosing between personal dignity and their careers: a choice no one should ever have to make.

[Read more…] about You Reported Sexual Harassment—What to Do When HR Doesn’t Help