For those that have suffered harassment at work, there are several avenues to take to properly defend yourself in a situation like this. The general public became more aware of the term in the early 90s with the very high profile case between Anita Hill and future Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. After this historic case, which captivated the nation and was televised live for weeks, the number of sexual harassment cases in corporate America increased to almost 60% and have steadily climbed over the last two decades as more women enter the workforce.

What is considered harassment at work is often up to a jury to decide. Current figures regarding sexual harassment cases place the amount that a jury awards plaintiffs at nearly a quarter of a million dollars. This amount can potential double or triple when attorney fees and litigation costs are taken into consideration.

One of the most important aspects of a trial is to clarify a hostile work environment definition. There are two forms of sexual harassment in the workplace according to current law. The first form of sexual harassment is referred to as quid pro quo harassment. This Latin term means “this for that”, and involves a supervisor threatening to fire or refuse to promote a subordinate if he or she refuses to have sexual relations with that supervisor. Under the terminology recognized today, a hostile work environment is one in which the words used by a co-worker or actions are severe enough to create a hostile work environment. Examples that fall under this categorization include sexually explicit jokes, lewd emails, screen savers, posters or other documents, and unwanted verbal and physical contact. Civil rights groups must then decide, sometimes in a court of law, whether someone would find such conduct offensive.

To create an environment that is free of harassment at work, every company should have a policy that expressly forbids all forms of harassment, even phone harassment work. The policy should strive to make a bold distinction on what harassment is and how an atmosphere of this kind is created. Additionally, there should be references on who to report to in the company should problems such as these arise. Conversely, employees must be made aware of the company’s policies and thoroughly trained on what is harassment and discrimination. All employees should know the process of where to take such allegations should they occur.

An employment lawyer may be necessary if a worker seeks litigation and possible financial compensation from his or her employer. To find a lawyer right for your case requires an extensive search. The lawyer can often times be found through a number of avenues – trade unions, local bar associations, or from word of mouth references. Some of the best lawyers are often part of huge firms that specialize in trials against firms accused of sexual harassment. Once you have trimmed down your list to a reasonable amount, be prepared to schedule meetings with the firms and expect to pay a consultation fee. The lawyer and law firm hired should be fully aware of all the body of laws, administrative rulings and restrictions regarding your case according to local, state and federal laws. Additionally, your law attorney may need to have a substantial support team as co-counsel, depending on the scope and size of the case. Most large employers will already have a law firm on retainer for cases like this that may arise.  The employment attorney that you hire may work on your case for months before it goes to trial. If there is a payout, be prepared to wait anywhere from a few weeks to even a few years for a financial settlement. Cases involving harassment at work typically require patience on the side of both parties.