Important Facts to Keep in Mind Regarding Sexual Harassment in Illinois

All employers are expected to provide a written policy to their employees explaining sexual harassment. If they fail to provide this written statement, they may be held legally accountable for their negligent behavior.  The statement that they provide should describe what sexual harassment is with examples and what penalties they give if anyone is found violating the policies.

Employees need to be aware of the legal consequences of abusing another person, the more aware they are, the fewer chances they will carry out such acts leading to a safer workplace environment. Employers should also have a proper internal affairs team set up that deals with such cases and make it easy for victims to file a complaint against the individual who harassed them. Both men and women can be victims of abuse and the abuse can be carried out by a fellow employee, a supervisor, or someone in management.

Since sexual harassment is illegal and employers are required to protect their employees, any victim of abuse should keep these points in mind if they are being harmed in this manner. If the employer fails to act, then individuals should get in touch with a sexual harassment attorney to help them with filing a legal complaint.

What should be done when a person is sexually harassed in Illinois?

Anyone who is being sexually harassed should take the following steps to make sure they are safe, and they are no longer taken advantage of by the abuser.

Firstly, a person should make it clear that the harasser is offending them, and they should tell them to stop. If a person does not take this step there are significant chances that the abuse will escalate, and the victim will be harmed even more. Once it has been made clear that a person is not okay with the behavior occurring, they should write down what happened, and they should also keep records of any abuse they are facing. For instance, if the harasser is making threats, these should be recorded to be used as proof of their harassment.

It’s good to have evidence, but it is also highly beneficial to have witnesses as well. Abusers generally have more than one victim and if a person is being abused, it is likely that other employees are suffering in the same way. Individuals should gather their evidence and witnesses and notify the management as soon as possible. This could mean speaking to the supervisor or reporting the incident to HR.

If the harassment was criminal, then a person should call the police right away. It always helps to speak with a sexual harassment attorney to make sure that one’s words are not contorted and to ensure that they are taken seriously, and that the abuser is held to account for their actions.