Illinois law defines sexual harassment as any unwanted conduct of a sexual nature, whether they are verbal advances or physical action. Prevalent examples of sexual harassment done by employers include making sexual advances, creating an overtly sexual and offensive work environment, and making demands for sexual favors as a condition to promotion.
How does Illinois Law Prohibit Sexual Harassment?
First, employers who are located in Elgin can be required to create and visibly post company policies regulating sexual conduct. Such policies should include items such as contact information for reporting harassment incidents, procedures for filing claims, and any corrective or preventative measures should a claim be proven.
The laws of the state of Illinois and federal law have both appointed agencies with the authority to investigate sexual harassment claims. These agencies conduct investigations at a given Elgin work site in order to verify if a complaint that they have received is true or not. Additionally, these laws prohibit employers from firing an employee for alleging sexual harassment or taking any action in retaliation to a claim.
How can a Illinois attorney help?
A claim for sexual harassment may be difficult to investigate and establish without the proper expertise in the relevant areas of law. The federal officers who investigate claims of sexual harassment are, unfortunately, often too busy to give much attention to any one claim. Thus, hiring an Elgin lawyer can be the surest way to file your sexual harassment claim within the deadlines specified by the state of Illinois.