The most likely remedy if you prove a case for sexual harassment is an award of compensatory damages for emotional distress and humiliation. Compensatory damages of this kind are often referred to as “non-economic” or “non pecuniary” damages. They consist of non-monetary losses such as:
- Pain
- Suffering
- Inconvenience
- mental suffering
- emotional distress
- loss of society and companionship
- loss of consortium
- humiliation
- injury to reputation
Loss of tangible job benefits is not necessary to establish hostile work environment harassment.
The jury will consider whether you truly have suffered a psychological injury as a result of the sexual harassment or other mistreatment at work. If you have suffered such an injury, you should immediately seek treatment from a mental healthcare provider or your primary physician. The jury will be less likely to believe you have suffered an emotional or mental injury if you don’t seek help immediately after the incident which caused the emotional problem.
Not only is sexual harassment illegal. The law also prohibits:
- Racial harassment
- Religious harassment
- Age-based harassment
- Harassment based on disability
- Harassment based on ethnicity or national origin
- Retaliation
Most people are familiar with workplace sexual harassment claims. Harassment in professional, business, and educational relationships are also illegal.
Sexual Harassment Topics: