Sexual Harassment the Leading Source of Large Discrimination Awards

While sexual harassment in the workplace is unfortunately all too common, no one should ever have to tolerate it.

2012-12-18

December 18, 2012 (Press-News.org) Many people still think of a lot of workplaces as being "Old Boys Clubs." As such, they think that lewd, harassing or chauvinistic comments are something that has to be tolerated in order to fit in.

While sexual harassment in the workplace is unfortunately all too common, no one should ever have to tolerate it. Sexual harassment is not just bad for workplace morale; it is also a serious violation of both California and federal law.

Workers who are victimized by discrimination in the workplace have a right to seek financial compensation by bringing discrimination lawsuits. All told, U.S. employers paid more than $356 million in compensation for workplace harassment last year. According to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, sexual harassment is the most common discrimination complaint leading to significant damage awards.

The employment website eBossWatch recently catalogued the 25 largest workplace discrimination claims from the last year, a number of which relate to California sexual harassment lawsuits. Here are some highlights from that list:
-$168 million for sexual harassment at Mercy General Hospital in Sacramento, California
-$6 million for sexual harassment at Aaron's, Inc. in Fairview Heights, Illinois
-$3.5 million for sexual harassment at the Washington, D.C. Department of Parks and Recreation
-$2.6 million for sexual harassment at CSX Transportation in Danville, West Virginia
-$2.3 million for sexual harassment at Qwest Communications in San Francisco, California
-$2.3 million for sexual harassment at Fry's electronics in Seattle, Washington.

Of course, every case is unique and these verdicts and settlements should not be taken as a guarantee of similar outcomes. However, they do illustrate that it is worth it for sexual harassment victims to take steps to assert their rights.

What is sexual harassment?

The EEOCdefines sexual harassment as any unwelcome commentary of a sexual nature, including, but not limited to unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors or offensive comments about a person's sex. Sexual harassment also includes making derogatory comments about women or men in general.

State and federal sexual harassment laws are gender blind. This means that both men and women can be the victims and the perpetrators of sexual harassment. Further, there is no requirement that the harasser be of a different sex than the victim.

Offensive conduct rises to the level of sexual harassment when it is frequent or severe enough to create a hostile work environment or when it results in wrongful termination, demotion or another adverse employment decision. Mere teasing or isolated instances generally do not qualify has sexual harassment.

If you are being subjected to sexual harassment at work, you do not have to tolerate it. A California employment attorney can review your case and help you protect your rights.

Article provided by Caskey & Holzman
Visit us at http://www.caskeyholzman.com

ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Changes to Florida's No-Fault System Limit Benefits for Accident Victims

2012-12-18

Recent changes to Florida's auto insurance laws will dramatically reduce the length of time that injured accident victims have to obtain medical care through the state's No-Fault system, as well as reduce the maximum benefit amount in most cases. Under new provisions that will go into effect on January 1, 2013, people seeking Personal Injury Protection (PIP) benefits in Florida will be required to receive initial medical care and services within 14 days of being injured in a motor vehicle accident. Previously, Florida accident victims had two years to make PIP medical ...

Study: American Women Are Especially Taxed by Medical Bills

2012-12-18

Due to the worst economy since the Great Depression, more people than ever either are out of work or are being forced into lower-paying jobs. It is therefore little surprise that more Americans are finding it more difficult to pay their bills. Some of the most common financial obligations that Americans are having difficulties meeting are medical bills and other healthcare costs. One recent study by the Commonwealth Fund says that American women, even if they are insured, are having more trouble paying for medical care than women from other countries. According to the ...

Saying: "I do." But not: "What's Mine is Yours"

2012-12-18

Prenuptial agreements are becoming more and more common for engaged couples. A prenuptial agreement is a legal contract that is entered between a couple prior to their marriage. The contract inventories each party's assets and debts before entering the marriage and establishes the property rights each spouse has in the event of divorce or if one spouses dies before the other. What's in a prenuptial agreement? A prenuptial agreement sets the couple's expectations and prevents surprises at the time of divorce. Information that may be in the prenuptial agreement includes: ...

Massachusetts Couple Balances Divorce and Citizenship Issues

2012-12-18

Divorce is never easy, but, as one Massachusetts couple learned, dual citizenship can make matters even more difficult. The wife, a dual citizen of both the United States and Great Britain, decided to split from her husband after moving from London, England to Cambridge, Massachusetts. The couple was not married for very long, did not have children and had no joint property. As a result, their split was relatively easy. Unfortunately, the ease of their split was not common when dual citizenship is involved. Citizenship issues can lead to a myriad of issues during a divorce. Citizenship ...

Classic Holidays Releases Statistics Supporting Award-Winning Service for Timeshare Owners

2012-12-18

Newly released member satisfaction data from Classic Holidays, Australia's largest privately owned timeshare company, has provided confirmation of the company's position as a customer service leader in the Australian timeshare marketplace. Statistics compiled across all of the 14 Classic-managed resorts revealed the following: • 97.3% of guests said their holiday experience met and/or exceeded their expectations • 91.4% said their holiday experience exceeded their expectations • 91% said they would return to their resort in the future • 92.2% would recommend ...

Dr. Aaron Ciechanover to Speak at Ubiquitin Research Conference Feb 25-26, 2013 in Las Vegas, NV

2012-12-18

Dr. Aaron Ciechanover 2004 Nobel Prize Co-Winner and distinguished research professor in the Technion - Israel Institute of Technology in Haifa Will Give The Keynote Address "Intracellular Proteolysis and The Ubiquitin System: From The Backyard to The Center Stage of Biomedicne" at the 3rd Ubiquitin Research and Drug Discovery Conference (Feb 25-26, 2013 Las Vegas, NV) As a graduate student with Dr. Avram Hershko and in collaboration with Dr. Irwin A. Rose from the Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia, USA, they discovered that covalent attachment of ubiquitin ...

Capital Safety Australia Introduces Their New Range Of Rescue/Rope Access Fall Protection Harnesses

2012-12-18

Capital Safety, home of the DBI-SALA and PROTECTA brands of fall protection equipment has announced the launch of their new range of fall protection full body harnesses for the rescue/rope access market. The new suspension harnesses have been purpose built to include all the vital features for rescue and rope access work, encompassing rescue and emergency services, industrial rope access, abseiling and tower work. Available in the popular ExoFit NEX or DELTA II styles, the harnesses provide all the necessary functions required by rescue personnel when faced with extreme ...

MrsP.com Announces Finalists for 4th National Kids' Writing Contest

2012-12-18

"We had wonderful entries from all over the United States, and it was hard to narrow it down to ten stories," said Kathy Kinney, who stars as Mrs. P and who, before co-creating the website, was best known as Mimi on The Drew Carey Show. "New Jersey and Arizona both took the lead with two finalists each, which speaks well for their schools and educators. We weren't looking for an East-West competition, but we've got it!" she added. The Grand Prize winners will be chosen by a panel of celebrity judges, including Academy Award-winning actress and reading ...

Always Smiling Through The Tears: New Book Drives Home Reality of Racism, Domestic Violence and Suicide

2012-12-18

For many, suicide and abuse are only experienced through the media. However, for those who call them reality, each case presents a heart-churning cry for help. In the hope of sharing his experiences with others and inspiring those in need to conquer their problems, one victim of life's tribulations has released a powerful new book. 'Always Smiling Through the Tears', written by an author only identifying himself as Kenny, tells the story of abuse and suicide from the inside out. Offering a unique and frankly honest journey through his own life experiences, Kenny's story ...

PNM Contracting to Work with iWebContent

2012-12-18

PNM Contracting is pleased to announce they are working with iWebContent to improve their web presence so they can better reach out to those who are in need of their services. Because most people turn to the Internet for answers when they need help with a problem instead of turning to phone books and other advertisements, it is more important for companies to have a solid web presence so their customers can easily find them and gather information. This partnership will achieve that goal. PNM Contracting is a full-service construction company that provides a long list ...

Sexual Harassment the Leading Source of Large Discrimination Awards

ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES: