It only takes one incident in the workplace to create a snowball effect that can result in retaliation and wrongful termination. The one incident that many employees experience is sexual harassment – however, it doesn’t stop there. In many cases, employees who filed a workplace sexual harassment claim face retaliation or even wrongful termination.
Since workplace sexual harassment and discrimination are illegal under state and federal laws, employees can file a claim against their employer to protect their rights.
Retaliation & Wrongful Termination
Sexual harassment occurs when a coworker or supervisor makes unwelcome sexual advances or other visual, verbal, or physical conduct of a sexual nature that creates an offensive and hostile work environment. Employees should always take a stand against sexual harassment in the workplace. However, it is important for employees to know that the fight against their employer doesn’t always end after a claim is filed.
What Is Retaliation?
Retaliation occurs when an employer punishes an employee for exercising their workplace rights or reporting a legal violation. Common forms of retaliation include:
- Demoting the employee
- Reducing their salary
- Termination
- Changing their job duties or work schedule
- Transferring the employee to another position or location
- Denying the employee a promotion or pay raise
What Is Wrongful Termination?
Wrongful termination occurs when an employer terminates an employee without legal grounds. Although you may have an at-will contract that states an employer can terminate you for any or no reason, they don’t have legal grounds to terminate you for filing a sexual harassment claim.
Employees who have been fired or penalized for any discriminatory reason may file a charge of discrimination with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) or a state or local anti-discrimination agency.
If you face retaliation or were wrongfully terminated after filing a sexual harassment claim, contact our team at (502) 890-9954 to schedule a consultation.