Skip to content

MA Employee Rights

Just another WordPress site

Menu
  • Home
  • About
  • Articles
  • Civil Rights
  • Thank You
  • Contact
  • Blog

Sexual harassment in Massachusetts: What employees need to know.

Sexual harassment in Massachusetts: What employees need to know.

Sexual harassment in Massachusetts can take one of two forms: quid pro quo or hostile work environment.

Sexual harassment is a problem throughout the United States, including here in Massachusetts. The United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission reports that there were 119 charges of sexual harassment in 2014 in Massachusetts alone.,

In addition to protections under federal law, Massachusetts state law also provides protection against sexual harassment. It breaks sexual harassment down into two categories: 1) quid pro quo; and 2) hostile work environment.

Quid Pro Quo Harassment And Massachusetts State Law

Quid pro quo sexual harassment is defined by Massachusetts state law as:

[S]exual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature when . . . submission to or rejection of such advances, requests or conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of employment or as a basis for employment decisions

Employees can be victims of this type of harassment in two contexts. The first requires a showing that an alleged harasser made sexual advances that were unwelcomed, that these advances were rejected and that the employee’s employment was adversely affected. The second requires a showing that the harasser made sexual advances, that the advances were unwelcomed, that the employee submitted to the advances and that this submission was done in “reasonable fear of adverse employment action.”

Hostile Work Environment Harassment And Massachusetts State Law

Hostile work environment sexual harassment under Massachusetts law is defined as:

[S]exual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature when . . . such advances, requests or conduct have the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual’s work performance by creating an intimidating, hostile, humiliating or sexually offensive work environment.

Employees can establish that they were the victim of this form of harassment by showing that they were subject to conduct that was sexual in nature, the conduct was unwelcomed, the conduct resulted in an “intimidating, hostile, humiliating or sexually offensive work environment,” and that the conduct unreasonably interfered with the employee’s work performance.

The Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination notes that inappropriate touching, sexual jokes, displaying sexually suggestive pictures or the use of gestures that are sexual in nature are all examples of conduct that may be unlawful.

Remedies Are Available For Victims of Sexual Harassment

Legal solutions are available to individuals who are the victims of sexual harassment. These remedies sometimes include reinstatement, back pay, damages for emotional distress as well as attorney’s fees. Contact an experienced sexual harassment attorney to discuss your case. Our legal professionals will vigorously advocate for your rights, working to better ensure you receive the compensation you deserve.

Back To Top

Recent Posts

  • Hello world!
  • Employee Rights Group, Llc, Secures A Victory For Retail Sales
  • Attorney at The Employee Rights Group, LLC, Named to the 2017 Massachusetts Rising Stars List
  • Alleged retaliation leads to wrongful termination
  • Unpaid overtime is a violation of wage and hour laws

Recent Comments

  • A WordPress Commenter on Hello world!

Archives

  • April 2021
  • May 2019
  • November 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • February 2015

Categories

  • Employee Rights
  • Employment Disputes
  • Uncategorized
  • Wage & Hour Laws
  • Workplace Discrimination
  • Wrongful Termination

Meta

  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org

menu

  • About
  • All Pages List
  • Articles
    • A closer look at disability discrimination in Massachusetts
    • Age discrimination alive and well in today’s workplaces
    • An overview of wage and hour laws in Massachusetts
    • An update on Massachusetts wage and hour laws in 2016
    • Gender discrimination can have serious effects in the workplace
    • Illegal employment discrimination under federal and Massachusetts laws
    • Males can be victims of sexual harassment too
    • Massachusetts considers new pregnancy leave law
    • Massachusetts law a step toward eliminating gender pay gap
    • Massachusetts’ Sick Time Law Takes Effect This July
    • Non-compete agreements: Understanding the basics
    • Pregnancy discrimination: What Massachusetts workers should know
    • Severance agreements can provide valuable benefits after your job ends
    • Sexual harassment in Massachusetts: What employees need to know.
    • Studies reveal most restaurant workers subject to sexual harassment
    • The intersection of medical marijuana and a drug-free workplace
  • Blog
  • Boston Employment Law Office
  • Business Litigation
    • Restrictive Covenants
    • Severance Agreements
  • Civil Rights
    • Section 1983
  • Contact
  • Disclaimer
  • Employment Discrimination
    • Age Discrimination
    • Criminal Record Discrimination
    • Disability Discrimination
    • Family And Medical Leave Act And Massachusetts Law
    • Gender & Pregnancy Discrimination
    • National Origin Discrimination
    • Racial Discrimination
    • Reasonable Accommodations (ADA)
    • Religious Discrimination
    • Sexual Orientation Discrimination
    • Whistleblowers
  • Home
  • Privacy Policy
  • Results
  • Sample Page
  • Search
  • Sexual Harassment
    • Hostile Work Environment
    • Quid Pro Quo
  • Site Map
  • Thank You
  • Wage And Hour
    • Defense Against Wage And Hour Claims
    • Massachusetts Claims For Unpaid Wages
    • Minimum Wage
      • Prevailing Wage Law
      • The Fair Labor Standards Act And Massachusetts Law
      • Tip Violations
    • Misclassification Of Employees
    • Nonpayment Or Late Payment Of Wages And Commissions
      • Miscalculation Of Commissions
      • Unpaid Final Wages And Commissions
    • Unpaid Wages
      • Failure To Reimburse Business Expenses
      • Inside Sales Representative Claims
      • Off-The-Clock Work
      • Salaried Worker Overtime
      • Sunday Overtime Pay
      • Unlawful Wage Deductions
      • Unpaid Internships
      • Unpaid Meal/Rest Breaks
      • Unpaid Overtime
      • Unpaid Service Charges
      • Unpaid Vacation Or Personal Time
    • Wage And Hour Class Actions
      • Lead Plaintiff In A Wage And Hour Class Action
    • When Your Employment Is Coming To An End

Main Menu

  • Home
  • About
  • Articles
  • Civil Rights
  • Thank You
  • Contact
  • Blog
MA Employee Rights. Theme by Grace Themes