3 Tips To Win Your Sexual Harassment Case

Are you facing sexual harassment in the workplace? Sexual harassment can be a stressful and emotionally-draining experience. You may be tempted to leave your job, but you also probably feel like you shouldn't have to leave because of someone else's behavior. If the harassment has impacted your career and your ability to work, it may be time to take legal action. You can take some steps to improve your chances of winning your case. Below are a few tips to consider as you prepare your case. 

Follow the chain of command

You may feel like reporting the harassment to human resources or your manager won't have any impact. Maybe you've already reported the behavior with no results. While reporting the behavior may not bring internal changes, it's an important step before you file a case in court. The court will want to see that you allowed the employer to handle the behavior internally. If you can demonstrate that you followed the company's process for reporting harassment and the behavior still did not stop, you will have a greater chance of winning your case. If you don't report the harassment to your employer and file a claim, the court may tell you to go back to your employer and follow the internal reporting process.

Document everything

Write down every instance of harassment, every conversation you have with your employer about the harassment, and any action the company takes as a result of your reports. You may want to document this in an online file that tracks edits, so you can show in court that you documented the actions in real time. Also, be sure to document any witnesses to behavior who can later be called in court. Finally, save any emails, texts, or other documentation that demonstrates that sexual harassment occurred.

Stay calm

Sexual harassment can understandably be a stressful and emotional experience. You may want to scream at the harasser, your manager, and others in your company who haven't taken action to stop the behavior. However, you should be prepared that your harasser and possibly even your employer will try to depict you as being dishonest. They may say that you are exaggerating events or that you're flat-out lying. You will need to behave in a way that protects your credibility in court. Stay calm and composed in all meetings, depositions, and other situations where you have to discuss harassment.

Ready to move forward with your sexual harassment case? Contact a workplace sexual harassment law firm in your area. They can help you understand your options and decide on a path forward.