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Recent Blog Posts
What You Need to Know About Asking a Co-Worker Out
While we know that television often glamorizes certain fantasies, one would be excused for believing in the idea of finding love in the workplace. Take the hit sitcom The Office, for example. Who wouldn’t want to find the Pam to their Jim or vice versa?
Of course, dating in the workplace has become much more complicated in recent years, especially in light of the #MeToo movement. More complicated, however, does not mean totally off limits. Even in 2018, it may be possible to ask a co-worker out on a date, but it is important to do so with great care and respect for your co-worker as a person.
Know the Rules
The first thing to keep in mind when it comes to dating a co-worker is that there might be rules against it, especially if one of you is in management and the other is not. In some workplaces, fraternization is formally prohibited. In others, it is merely frowned upon. In certain work environments, however—particularly those with many non-work or after-hours events, workplace romances may be tolerated or outright supported.
Women in Higher Education Face Frequent Sexual Harassment According to Study
Sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination protected against by Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. Employers may not treat employees or potential employees differently than others just because of their gender. Unfortunately, sexual harassment at work does occur, and studies show women in higher education may be especially susceptible to it. Whether it is a supervisor suggesting that an employee may get a promotion if she performs sexual favors or a co-worker that makes nonstop inappropriate jokes, no one should have to put up with sexual harassment.
University and College Faculty Report Widespread Sexual Harassment Against Women
Researchers from the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine hope that their investigation into sexual harassment trends in academia will lead to methods of preventing sexual harassment completely. Using data from surveys and other studies, the researchers found that sexual harassment is shockingly common in higher education. In fact, almost 60 percent of female college faculty say that they have been victims of sexual harassment themselves.
Can My Employer Fire Me for Making a Sexual Harassment Claim?
Reporting a co-worker or supervisor for sexual harassment can be an intimidating endeavor. This is one reason that thousands of incidents of sexual harassment sadly go unreported and unaddressed. Many victims of sexual harassment worry that speaking out against inappropriate sexual harassment in the workplace will get them fired or ostracized at work. Unfortunately, employers do sometimes “punish” employees who make sexual harassment allegations, but the good news is that there are laws to protect victims in this circumstance.
The Responsibility of Employers to Their Employees
Anyone who owns a business or otherwise employs other people has several duties to their employees. One of these duties is to address and investigate any claims of sexual harassment made my subordinates. If a company receives a report of sexual harassment claim and does not take steps to stop the harassing behavior, they can be held liable. If you were sexually harassed at work and your claim of sexual harassment was swept under the rug, your employer could face serious consequences. They may be required to reimburse you for lost wages and even the costs related to your new job search.
Recognizing Subtle Signs of Sexual Harassment in the Workplace
Sexual harassment is a form of sex-based employment discrimination, and it against the law. There are two basic types of workplace sexual harassment: quid pro quo harassment and hostile work environment harassment. Both can be damaging to not only the victim’s career but also to their physical and emotional well-being.
“Quid pro quo” is a phrase borrowed from Latin that means “something for something.” In the context of sexual harassment, it refers to a worker being offered benefits—including continued employment—in exchange for sex-related favors. A manager who promises a raise to a worker if the worker agrees to go on a date with him is probably guilty of quid pro quo harassment. Quid pro quo harassment is often fairly overt and easy to recognize, but this is not always the case with the other type of sexual harassment.
A Hostile Work Environment Can Develop Quietly
Keeping a Sexual Harassment Log is Vital to Proving Workplace Sexual Harassment
There has never been a greater emphasis on sexual harassment in the workplace than in recent years. After allegations of severe sexual harassment and sexual assault were brought against film producer Harvey Weinstein, more and more victims of sexual harassment started coming forward with their own stories. Accusations of inappropriate sexual behavior and harassment have also been leveled against former NBC News host Matt Lauer, leading to his termination.
If you feel that you are sexually harassed at work, do not hesitate to take action. One of the most important steps you can take is to collect all the instances of sexual harassment in a sexual harassment log.
The Importance of Recording Instances of Harassment
Sexual harassment is almost never a one-time occurrence. This is especially true of hostile work environment sexual harassment, which is one of the two types of sexual harassment recognized by the law. Someone who is experiencing hostile work environment sexual harassment is so disturbed by harassing or inappropriate behaviors that he or she is unable to complete their work tasks. In order to qualify as sexual harassment by law, the harassment must be severe or persistent enough to interfere with the victim’s job. If an employee wishes to prove sexual harassment, he or she must have detailed accounts of all the harassing behavior.
Quid Pro Quo Sexual Harassment
In the last blog entry, we discussed hostile work environment sexual harassment. In this entry, we will look at the second type of sexual harassment in the workplace, quid pro quo harassment. The Latin phrase “quid pro quo” roughly translates to "something for something." When an employer or supervisor offers work benefits in exchange for sexual favors, he or she is guilty of quid pro quo harassment.
Examples of Quid Pro Quo
Although this type of sexual harassment happens less frequently than hostile work environment harassment, it can be just as demeaning, unprofessional, and abusive. There are several ways that quid pro quo harassment can take place. A manager may approach a subordinate employee and ask him or her out on a date. If the employee denies the manager, the manager could imply that the employee will lose his or her job if they do not comply. Another instance of quid pro quo harassment occurs when a person in authority either directly states or even just implies that he or she will give his or her subordinate special work privileges in exchange for sexual acts or affection. Even someone not yet an employee who is only interviewing for a position can be a victim of quid pro quo sexual harassment. If an employer suggests or says that a job candidate must tolerate sexual behavior in order to receive the job, that employer is guilty of sexual harassment.
Understanding Hostile Workplace Sexual Harassment
According to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, sexual harassment is technically a type of employment discrimination. Harassment, as defined by the law, includes unwanted contact or conversation which is based on a person’s religion, ethnicity, nationality, gender, age, or disability. Although it has been increasingly reported in the news, workplace sexual harassment is still largely misunderstood. There are two types of workplace sexual harassment: hostile work environment and quid pro quo harassment. In this blog post, we will discuss hostile work environment sexual harassment, behavior that can be considered sexual harassment, and what to do if you are being harassed at work.
Behavior Must Meet Certain Requirements to Legally Be Considered Harassment
The term “harassment” often gets misused. For example, a co-worker who is constantly talking to others about his favorite TV show while they are trying to get their work done may be annoying, but he or she is probably not guilty of harassment. In order to meet the legal definition of sexual harassment, the following conditions must be present:
Bartenders at Increased Risk for Sexual Harassment
In recent months, sexual harassment and other types of sexual misconduct have taken center stage in the American public’s consciousness. A number of high-profile Hollywood personalities, comedians, politicians, and other figures have been accused of sexual harassment, sexual assault, and more. Even Philadelphia icon Bill Cosby was recently found guilty of three counts of aggravated indecent assault by a Montgomery County jury.
Sexual harassment, however, is not limited to celebrities. In fact, it is probably taking place at a bar or restaurant near you—possibly even your own workplace.
A Dangerous Profession
According to various studies, bartenders are extremely vulnerable to non-fatal, on-the-job violence—the third-most of any profession. Only law enforcement officers and those who work in security-related jobs are more at risk. Unfortunately, a large portion of such violence is linked to sexual harassment.
Airplane Engine Failure Kills One Passenger, Forces Emergency Landing
Federal investigators are combing regions of eastern Pennsylvania for pieces of an airplane this week, following an explosive, mid-air engine failure that left one passenger dead and many others shaken. Officials from the National Transportation Safety Board said that debris and engine components fell from the sky along the plane’s flight path as it headed for an emergency landing in Philadelphia on Tuesday. They are asking for the general public’s help in locating all of the pieces so that a full investigation into the fatal accident can be completed.
A Deadly Incident
The failure took place shortly after takeoff on a Southwest Airlines flight headed from New York’s LaGuardia Airport to Dallas Love Field. The aircraft had just passed 32,500 feet and was still climbing over the Allentown area of Pennsylvania when officials say that a fan blade in the left engine broke loose. The broken blade caused a violent chain reaction which sent parts and debris flying. One piece of shrapnel shattered a window overlooking the wing, and the woman in the closest seat was violently sucked into the hole. Other passengers pulled the woman back into the plane, but her injuries proved to be fatal. She died at a Philadelphia-area hospital later the same day.
Comparative Negligence in Pennsylvania Personal Injury Cases
When a person files a lawsuit in the wake of a car accident, slip-and-fall, or other personal injury matter, they hope to recover enough in the way of damages to address the losses they have suffered. These losses generally include expenses related to physical injuries, as well as lost wages, property damage, and more. What many victims do not realize, however, is that their compensation may be reduced, as it is fairly common for an injured party to share in the liability for the accident. The legal doctrine under which a personal injury can be reduced for this reason is called “comparative negligence.”
Contributory Negligence vs. Comparative Negligence
One of the first questions in any personal injury matter is “Who was at fault for the accident?” Under the principles of common law, historically, if the injured party played any part in causing the accident, he or she was barred from seeking compensation from anyone else. The thought process was that a person has the duty to reasonably protect themselves from injury, so failing in that duty was seen as grounds to bar recovery.
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