Some 75 years after millions of women entered the workforce under the banner of Rosie the Riveter, sexual mistreatment is still a serious problem in Cook County. Sometimes, the issue is sexual assault. In this context, an “assault” is a harmful or offensive touch, whether or not it causes injury. Sexual harassment, however, is much more common. Similarly, “harassment” is a broad word that basically means mistreating people because of their gender.
The diligent lawyers at the Law Office of Mitchell A. Kline listen closely to you as you explain what happened. Then, we quickly evaluate your claim and lay out your legal options. This discussion includes both the basis for your action and the possible damages, such as reinstatement, that you could receive. Throughout the entire process, our diligence extends to proactive communication, so you are never in the dark.
Mitchell Kline has been protecting sexual harassment victims for almost as long as the law has been in place. So, we are extremely well-versed in both types of sexual harassment claims in Illinois, which are:
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is the designated emergency responder in sexual harassment cases. If you have a claim, you must first bring your concerns to the EEOC.
However, the EEOC is chronically understaffed. So, these investigators generally only accept cases that are easy to win and could result in a large damage award. If there are any legal issues with the case or the amount of money in controversy is not eye-poppingly huge, the EEOC will probably pass on the case. This inaction does not mean your claim is meritless. It simply means you need to work with an Evanston sexual harassment lawyer who truly believes in you.
If the case is excessively complex, the retaliation workaround may be a good option. In these situations, the claimant need not establish sexual harassment to obtain damages.
Companies must treat all employees, whether or not they lodge sexual harassment complaints, with dignity and respect. They cannot reassign such employees, write them up, or otherwise discipline them. Such retaliation is just as illegal as sexual harassment.
Typically, the claimant need only establish a temporal relationship between the harassment complaint and the retaliation. Whether or not the complaint had merit, if the employer retaliated within a few days, the retaliation workaround probably applies.
Sexual harassment and retaliation have no place in Illinois businesses. For a free consultation with an experienced employment law attorney in Evanston, contact the Law Office of Mitchell A. Kline. We routinely handle matters of discrimination throughout Chicagoland.
