There are many good reasons for leaving a job, such as to accept another, desirable position, to spend more quality time with family or to improve your job skills. But to leave a place of employment due to sex harassment – which effectively creates a hostile work environment – is not a good reason. Any employer who allows such conditions to exist is in violation of discrimination laws guaranteed under the Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA).

Consequently, individuals who have left their position under such circumstances can reasonably seek compensation. This also considered wrongful discharge based on a “constructive discharge”. A personal injury attorney who specializes in sex harassment law typically files this type of case. Such attorneys are also referred to as sexual harassment attorneys. Compensation for such incidents can include lost wages (current and future), punitive damages and attorney’s fees.

Both women and men can be the target of sexual harassment. Different forms this abuse can take include:

• Verbal harassment of a sexual nature (such as when an employee is pregnant, gay or simply attractive)


• Exposure to crude gestures or sexually suggestive images.


• Exposure to off-color humor and slurs.


• Physical sexual abuse, as in an actual assault.


• Unwanted touching or obstructing an employee’s movement to force physical contact.


• <em>Quid pro quo</em> (offering or withholding workplace benefits based on sexual consent).

Note that if often happens that an employee will report harassing behavior, only to see no corrective actions taken by the employer to avoid future workplace sexual hostility. That effectively fosters a permissive atmosphere, raising the degree of responsibility from the individual to the employer.

Find a qualified sexual harassment attorney

Should you face any type of sexual abuse in your job, you might be entitled to recover damages for emotional distress, current and future lost wages and sometimes punitive damages. It is also possible to recover the cost and fees of the personal injury attorney who prosecutes your case.

It is important to have an experienced sexual harassment attorney. This is because the nature of the dispute often boils down to a “he-said-she-said” scenario. With skilled legal council, the facts of the case can be made clearer.

<em>R. Klettke is a freelance writer. He writes about personal injury and medical malpractice law and other matters of jurisprudence.</em>

Important Advisory: This article is not intended to provide legal advice upon which you or anyone else should rely in making any decisions regarding the instituting or prosecuting of a legal claim. Laws and rules relating to the bringing of a claim vary widely from state to state. You should always contact a personal injury attorney to obtain information as to the rules and the laws pertaining to any claim you might have.