Find a Sexual Harassment
Lawyer in Maryland
Select your County to Be Connected
with a Maryland Attorney
Sexual harassment is not an uncommon thing at work. But many victims choose to “shrug it off” or turn the other cheek, fearful that if they make a claim or tell someone, they might be faced with retaliation that can be worse than the harassment itself. In the state of Maryland, it is illegal for a company or employer to retaliate against anyone who files a claim for sexual harassment. However, that doesn’t always mean that retaliation can’t come in different forms. The only way to ensure that you can voice your opinion and still be safe from negative consequences is to hire a Maryland sexual harassment lawyer to protect your interests.
According to the Maryland Fair Employment Practices Act, discrimination that is based on gender characteristics, sexual orientation, gender identity, or marital status are all prohibited. Discrimination and sexual harassment are illegal per state law, and at the federal level, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 stipulates that no one shall discriminate against another individual at work due to gender or sexual harassment.
For Maryland sexual harassment law, gender identity is a specifically outlined protection that prohibits someone from being harassed or discriminated against due to appearance, identity behavior, or expression of gender at birth.
There are many different behaviors that are encompassed under sexual harassment: sexual innuendos, non consensual touching, derogatory comments or remarks, unwelcome sexual advances, offensive sexually explicit material or even offensive jokes. To establish a claim of sexual harassment, you must be able to prove that an individual engaged in systematic and pervasive behaviors that created an intimidating and threatening workplace environment. If the misconduct is repetitious enough to interfere with your work performance, then someone is creating a hostile work atmosphere, which is illegal both at the state and federal levels.
The other type of sexual harassment, which does not have to be repetitious or pervasive, is if someone in authority or someone who holds power over your work position propositions you for a sexual act or favor and either implicitly or explicitly makes you feel that your job security is dependent on your acquiescing. In the same manner, if someone offers you a promotion or a perk for a sexual favor, that can also be considered sexual harassment under Maryland sexual harassment law.
Submit Your Case Evaluation
Click Here
Find Your Local Lawyer
Click Here
Maryland Cities