New York Supervisor Sexual Harassment Lawyer

Representing Victims in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, & Florida

Phillips & Associates has established itself as a leading supervisor sexual harassment law firm, having defended employees in New York City who have been subjected to discrimination on the basis of protected characteristics. One unfortunate but common form of workplace discrimination occurs when a supervisor sexually harasses an employee.

Sexual Harassment by a Supervisor in New York

A majority of our sexual harassment cases involve allegations against a supervisor or boss. This includes unwelcome sexual advances by your supervisor or boss and/or requests for sexual favors from supervisor or boss or sexually suggestive comments. In New York City, we have one of the strongest laws against sexual harassment, the New York City Human Rights Law. These laws protect employees against acts of sexual harassment- especially when the harasser is a person in a position of power and influence over the employee. The attorneys at Phillips & Associates specialize in Sexual Harassment in New York. Whether its sexual harassment by a co-worker or sexual harassment by a supervisor call us today for a free consultation (866) 229-9441.

Sexual Harassment in New York

Sexual harassment is considered a form of gender discrimination because it is harmful or annoying conduct motivated by a person's sex. Sexual harassment in New York may be perpetrated by co-workers or even people outside of the victim's work, but is often instigated by someone in a position of power or authority over the victim. Even if the harasser is not a direct supervisor, the victim may still feel she has to tolerate certain forms of inappropriate conduct merely because she is "new" or working for one of the harasser's friends.

A few examples of sexual harassment by a supervisor include:

• Unwelcome sexual advances by your supervisor or boss
• Requests for sexual favors from supervisor or boss
• Sexually suggestive comments, including text messages and emails
• Employment decisions conditioned upon or "in exchange for" sexual favors
• Uninvited comments about a person's dress, appearance, or figure
• Underhanded remarks or intimate questions regarding an employee's sexual history
• Withholding a promotion or other benefit to an employee who rejects sexual advances
• Rewarding employees who accept or tolerate sexual harassment
• Threatening to fire or demote employee for reporting sexual harassment
• Offensive remarks about a person's gender
• Retaliating in any way against employees who cooperate in an investigation of alleged sexual harassment
• Creating or tolerating a "hostile work environment" pervaded by inappropriate sexual behavior
• Sending or forwarding sexually explicit pictures
• Other harassing conduct through phone, notes, emails, or text messages

Laws Against Sexual Harassment

In New York, laws at every level of government protect victims of sexual harassment. Gender discrimination in all its forms, including sexual harassment, is prohibited by Title VII of the federal Civil Rights Act. State antidiscrimination statutes such as New York's Human Rights Law make it unlawful "to discriminate against an individual in compensation, terms of conditions, or privileges of employment" because of the person's sex. New York City's Human Rights Law likewise bars sexual harassment in the workplace. New York's state and city laws reach smaller employers than the Civil Rights Act so that between the three levels of government, every employer is subject to scrutiny. Together, they constitute a "triumvirate" of laws prohibiting sexual harassment whether it be sexual harassment by a supervisor or co-worker. The Equal Employment Practices Commission monitors New York's compliance with equal employment regulations while The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) handles sexual harassment claims at the federal level.

While isolated incidents of inappropriate conduct may not form the basis of a sexual harassment claim in New York, a practice or pattern of abuse can. Unfortunately, in a tough economic market, most victims are afraid of losing their jobs and are thus reluctant to speak out about violations in the workplace. However, whether the boss habitually engages in or tolerates sexual harassment is a question for the jury. Many supervisors fail to realize what isolated incidents of inappropriate conduct sound like in court. The same teasing that seemed harmless and lighthearted in the office may not be as amusing to a judge or jury. In fact, most arbiters view sexual harassment as particularly egregious when perpetrated by an authority figure. Courts and juries certainly weigh this imbalance of power carefully when determining whether there was some abuse of discretion. Indeed, what might pass for "playful teasing" or "friendly hazing" among co-workers is not "harmless" when coming from a supervisor.

Call The Sexual Harassment Lawyers at Phillips & Associates

If you believe you are being sexually harassed by your supervisor, the sexual harassment attorneys at Phillips & Associates can help explain your rights and make sure they are protected. We are dedicated to helping victims of sexual harassment in New York achieve justice and obtain a sense of closure. We never charge attorney's fees unless we recover compensation on your behalf. 

For a free and confidential consultation with an experienced New York supervisor sexual harassment attorney, call (866) 229-9441 or Contact Us online.