Bakersfield Quid Pro Quo Sexual Harassment Claims
Sexual harassment at work is a form of employment discrimination and should not be tolerated under any circumstances. Sexual harassment can take the form of quid pro quo harassment, in which you are expected to give something in return for something else.
If you believe you have faced quid pro quo workplace discrimination, you probably feel violated and hurt. In addition to experiencing emotional pain, you might also be facing financial consequences if the harassment caused you to lose your job or be denied employment. Our dedicated workplace law attorneys have experience with Bakersfield quid pro quo sexual harassment claims and could help you seek compensation for what you went through.
Explaining Quid Pro Quo Harassment
Quid pro quo is a type of sexual harassment discrimination based on an imbalance of power between an employer, supervisor, or manager and an employee who has a lower rank. It occurs when a supervisor or employer bases a workplace decision, such as a promotion, on whether an employee or prospective employee accepts their sexual advances. Quid pro quo discrimination happens when an employer decides to fire, demote, transfer, or not hire someone because that person refused to engage in sexual relations with them.
Some examples of quid pro quo harassment at a worksite could be:
- A prospective worker with the necessary qualifications for a job does not receive an offer of employment after rejecting the hiring manager’s sexual advances
- An hourly grocery store clerk receives fewer work hours after refusing their manager’s advances
- An office worker is denied a promotion after having to listen to humiliating remarks and receive graphic texts from their supervisor requesting them to engage in a sexual act in exchange for the supervisor’s support in the worker gaining the promotion
Our caring attorneys in Bakersfield know how to get results in quid pro quo sexual harassment claims while respecting a worker’s right to privacy.
Proving Quid Pro Quo in the Workplace
To succeed in a quid pro quo-based lawsuit, a worker must establish someone made sexual advances, requested sexual favors, made verbal remarks, or engaged in conduct of a sexual nature. In addition to proving that someone at work engaged in sexually suggestive conduct, the worker must also establish that the sexual advances and requests were the explicit or implicit basis for hiring, firing, promoting, demoting, or any other employment decision.
With quid pro quo harassment, a worker does not need to establish that their supervisor has committed an ongoing pattern of repeated sexual harassment. Often, showing one instance of an employment decision based on the refusal to accept sexual advances is sufficient.
If a worker believes they have suffered from quid pro quo harassment, they should begin by taking notes and documenting exactly what happened. Our compassionate local attorneys could review the notes and help. Our legal team could investigate the incident by speaking to coworkers and other people familiar with the hiring and employment decision-making process.
Talk to a Bakersfield Quid Pro Quo Sexual Harassment Lawyer
Employers should never base employment decisions on whether you accept or refuse their sexual advances. Our legal team understands the trauma that you must feel as a victim of sexual harassment. Our attorneys know how to fight for the maximum possible compensation in Bakersfield quid pro quo sexual harassment claims. Call now to learn more.
