Reporting workplace sexual harassment isn’t an easy thing for everyone to do as many are fearful of what might happen after. A study showed that 75 percent of sexual harassment victims experienced retaliation after coming forward with their accusations, hence why so many people neglect to file a complaint.Though retaliation sometimes happens once an employee reports sexual harassment, the fear alone shouldn’t stop them from recognizing the person who engaged in the unwelcome behavior. If someone in your workplace engaged in sexual harassment, you should report it to your employer who should then respond in the following ways:

1. Begin an investigation After your employer has been informed that sexual harassment may have occurred in the workplace, they are expected to “conduct a prompt, thorough, and impartial investigation,” according to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).

Important: If your harasser has any sort of control over the investigation, you might want to contact a Florida sexual harassment lawyer to find out what your options are. 

1. Conduct interviews. During the initial stages of the investigation, your employer or the party assigned to conduct the investigation should interview all parties involved. This includes you, the person accused of sexual harassment, witnesses, and anyone else who may have played a role in the incident(s).

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1. Implement practices to prevent further harassment. While the investigator conducts their investigation, your employer should “take steps to make sure that harassment does not continue.” This might include having one employee temporarily transfer to another division or department or schedule those involved in the matter to work at different times.

1. Enforce disciplinary action. At the conclusion of the investigation, your employer is expected to enforce disciplinary action if the evidence supports sexual harassment occurred. 

What if my employer does not address a case of sexual harassment?Because the EEOC considers sexual harassment to be a form of discrimination, it would be in your employer’s best interest to properly address the matter. In the event your employer is the harasser or fails to promptly address your complaints, there are experienced sexual harassment attorneys in Florida who would be more than happy to help you.While most people assume they only need to hire a Florida sexual harassment lawyer when they are ready to take their matter to court, a lawyer can actually intervene before the situation escalates to that point. If your employer is threatening your job because you expressed your intentions to report him/her for the hostile work environment they have subjected you to work in, an attorney can help you get the issue resolved privately.However, if your employer or the harasser is noncompliant, then an attorney will certainly weigh their options, one of which might include taking your case to court. If you would like to speak with a lawyer in your area who handles sexual harassment cases, contact USAttorneys.com and we will get you connected with a legal expert nearest you.