Coworkers may harass each other at non-work settings such as planned company events or conventions.
Burlington, VT – The reality of certain career paths is that they are more likely to have issues with harassment than others. Workers who deal with certain client tasks or work in industries with lots of face to face interactions are at the highest risk for sexual harassment. There are also certain jobs that have historically been filled by female employees, which also makes it possible that male coworkers or bosses will harass them. Regardless of the situation, any worker in Vermont who has been sexually harassed has the right to report the incident and retain a lawyer if they choose.
Jobs with large amounts of customer and client interactions
When a worker has to interact with their coworkers, as well as large volumes of customers, it is much more likely that they will come into contact with someone who commits harassment. This tends to happen most often in industries where workers serve customers, treat patients, or contact people all day long. While most people do not harass workers, it is also possible that people working in these industries may become conditioned to simply tolerate harassment as an expected part of their job.
Female employees with male supervisors
Sexual harassment can occur between members of any gender or the same gender. However, a very common pattern of harassment is when a female employee answers to a male manager or boss who requests sexual acts. This is called quid pro quo harassment, and sometimes the subordinate worker may face termination, lost pay, or not receive benefits if they do not comply with these kinds of illegal requests. Superiors exploiting their employees is a serious form of harassment, and it should be reported immediately.
Female employees in general
Jobs with high numbers of female workers such as healthcare and restaurant service tend to also correlate with high incidents of sexual harassment. While victims and harassers may technically be of the same gender or any gender, males tend to harass female workers the most. Any kind of consistent sexual or romantic gestures from customers or coworkers can become hostile work environment harassment over time.
Social interactions outside of normal work
Coworkers may harass each other at non-work settings such as planned company events or conventions. This is especially true if there is alcohol served or the environment is informal. Anyone attending such events should be aware of the policies related to sexual harassment and criminal laws related to assault and other forms of physical sexual contact.
A directory of lawyers is available
USAttorneys.com is a website that lists lawyers who focus on sexual harassment and other areas of the law. People who need help in the Burlington area can use the site to find a local attorney.
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