For most of us, work is not optional. To pay for even the bare necessities, people must work. In the best of worlds, people and their jobs are a good fit. When that is so, and for the most part, workers enjoy their jobs. But that is not always true. People who are victims of workplace sexual harassment, a hostile work environment, bullying, or retaliation are far from content.

When our readers think about sexual harassment in the workplace, large business settings often come to mind. While that is certainly true, in fact, sexual harassment can take place in a business of any size, including the smallest. A New Jersey woman knows this all too well.

The woman was one of just a few employees who worked at a kennel located in our state. One night when she was there late, working alone, the owner–who appeared to be intoxicated–approached her and made it obvious he wanted to engage in sexual acts with her. Afraid, the woman left and never returned. She also filed a sexual harassment claim against the man.

That claim was successful. As a result, she was awarded $20,000 from her former employer. In addition, the owner of the kennel was required to create and implement a sexual harassment work policy. This means that the brave action taken by the woman could prevent another person working at the kennel from having the same terrible experience in the future.

For anyone who is the victim of sexual harassment, deciding to pursue a legal remedy is not the easiest decision to make. Aside from the job risks and emotional factors, the claimant must act timely. In this situation, it is best to work with an experienced employment lawyer who understands the law, the legal system, and the rules of the legal road. To learn more about how our law firm evaluates and pursues sexual harassment claims please see our website.

Source: PIX11, “NJ woman who underwent sexual harassment from her boss makes him pay,” Kirstin Cole, Jan. 6, 2015