Federal and California state employment laws — Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act and the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) — disallow sexual harassment in the workplace. These laws apply to all employees, including men. Your employer has the legal responsibility of ensuring that the workplace is a safe environment for everyone and must take immediate action to stop any incidents of harassment. Unfortunately, some employers are not as vigilant as they ought to be about the sexual harassment that many male employees suffer, and such disregard can have a negative, intimidating impact on them.
As in the case of women victims, men too can find it traumatic to deal with such unpleasant behavior daily. It can harm their morale, work performance, and career. If you are in this kind of a position, you should know that the law is on your side, and you do not need to tolerate sexual harassment. First, file an official complaint with your company’s HR department. Second, consult sexual harassment in the workplace lawyer and be prepared to take legal action if necessary.
FAQ for Men—Sexual Harassment in the Workplace
Sexual harassment in the workplace lawyer can provide you with detailed information regarding your legal options in dealing with sexual harassment in your workplace. You can also check out the following frequently asked questions and answers that address sexual harassment issues concerning male employees:
1. What is sexual harassment?
Sexual harassment is any unwanted behavior of a sexual nature that makes the victim feel anxious, afraid, intimidated, and angry. In the workplace, sexual harassment against men can occur in various forms:
• A male or female in a higher hierarchical position may make sexual advances toward a male employee in a lower position and demand sexual favors in return for a promotion or a salary raise. They may threaten to ruin their performance record or fire them if they do not comply.
• A male or female co-worker may make offensive remarks regarding the male employee’s body and get into their personal space to subject them to unwelcome touches.
• A supervisor or co-worker may send the victim various sexually explicit images, videos, emails, text messages, and voice messages.
• A supervisor or co-worker may persistently call the male employee on the phone, hover around their workstation, or accost them during work breaks and before or after work.
• A male or female supervisor or co-worker may make sexual innuendos, jokes, or gestures. They may stare offensively at the victim’s private parts.
• A male or female supervisor or co-worker may spread sexual rumors about the male employee.
2. What is prohibited retaliation?
When a male employee makes a formal complaint about sexual harassment with the company’s HR department or helps investigate the harassment, the employer, the perpetrators, or both may retaliate against him. The retaliation may include the following:
• Social isolation of the victim
• Negative gossip about him
• Assigning him undesirable work assignments
• Sabotaging his work projects
• Giving him negative work performance ratings and reviews
• Excluding him from meetings and work training programs
• Bypassing him for promotions and salary raises
• Withholding work benefits from him
• Refusing him reasonable breaks and leaves
• Firing him from the job
The law forbids such retaliation, and you can file a separate complaint against your employer for such retaliatory behavior.
3. What are my options in the face of sexual harassment?
If anyone in the workplace is sexually harassing you, the first thing to do is make it very clear to the harasser verbally and in writing that you do not like their behavior. If that does not stop them, file a written complaint with the HR department. They will investigate the matter, check the evidence of the harassment, and take action against the perpetrator. If they do not take action or the action does not stop the harasser, consult sexual harassment in the workplace lawyer.
The lawyer will help you file a claim of sexual harassment with the Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) or the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). The regulatory agency will investigate and take evidence-based action. You can also file a civil suit against your employer and take the matter to trial.