Do I Need an Attorney if I am Harassed at Work in Connecticut?

Being a victim of harassment at work puts you in a very difficult position. You may enjoy your job, but someone’s unwanted behavior is interfering with your work performance or someone may be creating a hostile work environment for you. Perhaps your supervisor is the one harassing you, and has made a tangible change in your employment status or benefits (such as in a demotion, a termination or failure to promote). You know you need to do something, but you may be afraid it will cost you your job and future prospects.

What qualifies as harassment and sexual harassment?

First of all, you should know what constitutes harassment. Harassment on the job can take many forms. It may include use of racially derogatory words or comments about someone’s skin color. It may be pictures or gestures that offend a particular racial or ethnic group. Harassment occurs when disparaging comments are made about someone’s gender, religious beliefs (or lack of), birthplace, ancestry, age (someone over 40) or mental or physical impairment.

Sexual harassment may include staring in a sexually suggestive manner, making offensive remarks about looks, clothing or body parts, touching in a way that makes someone feel uncomfortable (patting, pinching or brushing up against someone), telling sexual or lewd jokes, displaying sexual posters, making sexual gestures and sending, forwarding or soliciting sexually suggestive letters, notes, emails or images.

Reporting Harassment

Your first course of action is to report an incident of harassment to your supervisor, any member of management and/or the Director of the Office of Workplace Diversity. Your employer should take your complaint seriously, and you should notice some form of action that is meant to stop the harassment.

Maya Murphy P.C. has proudly been included in the 2024 Edition of Best Law Firms®, ranked among the top firms in the nation. In addition, Managing Partner Joseph C. Maya has been selected to The Best Lawyers in America® 2024 for his work in Employment Law and Education Law in Connecticut. Recognition in Best Lawyers® is awarded to firms and attorneys who demonstrate excellence in the industry, and is widely regarded by both clients and legal professionals as a significant honor.

Our firm in Westport, Connecticut serves clients with legal assistance all over the state, including the towns of: Ansonia, Beacon Falls, Bethany, Bethel, Branford, Bridgeport, Brookfield, Cheshire, Danbury, Darien, Derby, East Haven, Easton, Fairfield, Greenwich, Guilford, Hamden, Madison, Meriden, Middlebury, Milford, Monroe, Naugatuck, New Canaan, New Fairfield, New Haven, Newton, North Branford, North Haven, Norwalk, Orange, Oxford, Prospect, Redding, Ridgefield, Seymour, Shelton, Sherman, Southbury, Stamford, Stratford, Trumbull, Wallingford, Waterbury, West Haven, Weston, Westport, Wilton, and Woodbridge. In addition to assisting clients in Connecticut, our firm handles education law and employment law matters in New York as well. 

If you have any questions about employment law or education law in Connecticut, or would like to speak to an attorney about a legal matter, please contact Joseph C. Maya and the other experienced attorneys at Maya Murphy, P.C. at (203) 221-3100 or JMaya@Mayalaw.com to schedule a free initial consultation today.