According to Massachusetts law, sexual harassment is defined as the unwanted conduct which is of a sexual nature, and includes both verbal advances and physical acts Sexual advances, creating a hostile work environment that is blatantly sexual in nature, and sexual advances are some of the more common types of sexual harassment amongst employers.

How does Massachusetts Law Prohibit Sexual Harassment?

First, Suffolk County employers can be required to establish 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 procedure for handling such claims, and the corrective measures for when a claim is proven.

The laws of the state of Massachusetts and federal law have both created agencies with the authority to investigate sexual harassment claims. These agencies conduct investigations at a given Suffolk County work site in order to verify if a complaint that they have received is true or not. Employers are also prohibited under these laws from taking action in retaliation against an employee who has claimed sexual harassment, such as firing them or denying them a promotion.

How can a Massachusetts attorney help?

It can be difficult to both investigate and prove a sexual harassment claim without having any expertise in the applicable areas of law. It's not uncommon for federal investigators to be too busy to handle individual claims. Because of this, working with a Suffolk County attorney might be the best way to make sure that your claim is processed in a timely manner.