Iowa law defines sexual harassment as any unwanted conduct of a sexual nature, whether they are verbal advances or physical acts. Employers are most commonly involved in the following forms of sexual harassment acts: demanding sexual favors in exchange for promotions, creating a sexually offensive work environment, and making sexual advances.
How does Iowa Law Prohibit Sexual Harassment?
First, Dubuque employers can be required to create company policies that specifically address sexual harassment in the workplace. These must be posted in a visible area such as a break room. These policies may include contact information for an employee to report sexual harassment, the process for handling such claims, and the corrective measures for when a claim is proven.
The laws of the state of Iowa and federal law have both established agencies with the authority to investigate sexual harassment claims. These agencies conduct investigations at a given Dubuque work site in order to verify if a complaint that they have received is true or not. These laws also prohibit employers from firing employees or taking any retaliatory action against workers who have complained of sexual harassment.
How can a Iowa attorney help?
A claim for sexual harassment may be difficult to investigate and show without the proper expertise in the relevant areas of law. It's fairly common for federal officials who investigate these issues to be overworked. Thus, hiring an attorney in Dubuque can be the safest way to file your claim within the deadlines for sexual harassment claims that Iowa has defined.