what questions should i ask a lawyer about harassment

by Kylee Kihn 5 min read

  • What is your response to the allegations?
  • If the harasser claims that the allegations are false, ask why the complainant might lie.
  • Are there any persons who have relevant information?
  • Are there any notes, physical evidence, or other documentation regarding the incident (s)?
  • Do you know of any other relevant information?

What questions are asked in an interrogation?

These reasons include:

  • Wishing to exonerate oneself,
  • Attempting deception to outsmart the system,
  • Conscience,
  • Providing an explanation to minimize one’s involvement in the crime, or
  • Surrender in the face of overwhelming evidence.

How to investigate sexual harassment allegations?

Who will be interviewed?

  • Stay Neutral. From the beginning, the investigator should maintain a neutral, objective demeanor. ...
  • Make a Decision. Ultimately, you’ll need to decide whether a company policy was violated or inappropriate conduct occurred and recommend a course of action to the decision-maker.
  • Write a Report. ...

How do you report harassment?

To let us help you with reporting your harasser, do the following:

  • Access DoNotPay in your web browser
  • Select the Relationship Protection button
  • Click on the Explore Relationship Services
  • Select Safety and Stalking, then go to Let’s Do It
  • Choose Stalking from the provided options—this also covers harassment
  • Answer the questions the chatbot asks you

How do you write a harassment complaint?

These are the details you should include in your letter:

  • The name of the harasser
  • Your relationship with the harasser
  • Witnesses of harassment (if there are any), and their job title
  • Specific incidents
  • Dates of harassment
  • Locations of harassment
  • Evidence of harassment (emails, voice messages, etc.)

image

Are harassment cases hard to prove?

Unfortunately, one of the reasons it is so pervasive is that it is so hard to prove. Proof can be extremely important in such cases for many reasons. It can make it harder for harassers to deny their behavior and avoid consequences. It can also make it harder for a business to simply ignore the behavior or cover it up.

What are 3 actions that are considered harassment?

Workplace Harassment ExamplesSending emails with offensive jokes or graphics about race or religion.Repeatedly requesting dates or sexual favors in person or through text.Asking about family history of illnesses or genetic disorders.Making derogatory comments about someone's disability or age.More items...

How do I get proof of harassment?

The only way to ensure your evidence is suitable is to record all harassing comments, take photos of behavior so that you can create visual images and other events in some sort of log that you can present as evidence. You should make note of when any harassment occured as well as the names of any witnesses.

What are the 4 steps a person should take when reporting a case of harassment?

The primary legal steps to contend with harassment in the workplace include telling the harasser to stop, complaining to a supervisor or the Human Resources Department, consulting an attorney, filing a complaint with the EEOC and/or the DFEH, and ultimately filing a lawsuit for sexual harassment.

What do examples of harassment include?

Examples of harassment include offensive or derogatory jokes, racial or ethnic slurs, pressure for dates or sexual favors, unwelcome comments about a person's religion or religious garments, or offensive graffiti, cartoons or pictures.

What is indirect harassment?

Indirect sexual harassment occurs when a secondary victim has been offended by the verbal or visual sexual misconduct of another.

What is not harassment?

Behaviours that are not considered harassment are those that arise from a relationship of mutual consent. A hug between friends, mutual flirtation, and a compliment on physical appearance between colleagues are not considered harassment.

How do you deal with mental harassment?

If you suspect that the kind of mental harassment you're facing is illegal, contact the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. A counselor with the commission can help you understand your rights and the kind of recourse you have with mental harassment law.

Can you sue for harassment?

Yes, depending on where it occurred and what the facts are, you can sue for harassment: If you are harassed in the workplace and are a member of a protected class, you may be able to sue for workplace discrimination under federal and state law.

What makes harassment unlawful?

Unlawful harassment is defined as conduct that is unwelcome, based on a protected characteristic, and a reasonable person would regard as severe or pervasive. The protected characteristics under federal law are race, color, national origin, sex, religion, pregnancy, disability, and genetic background.

What is personal harassment?

Personal harassment means any inappropriate behaviour or conduct that is directed at and offensive to another person, and which the originator knew or ought reasonably to have known would be unwelcome or cause offence.

What should a victim of harassment do?

Most established employers have specific sexual harassment policies that spell out to whom you should go to complain. If so, follow that policy. If the person to whom you are supposed to report is the harasser, bypass that person and go to his or her supervisor or to Human Resources.

The standard procedure for conducting a harassment investigation

The aim of a harassment investigation is to develop accurate, detailed, and factual evidence of the nature of the complaint and present it to the employers, who then take action. That is why it is vitally crucial to take detailed notes of each employee interview.

The employee interview questions for the incident

The interviewees in a harassment case include the complainant, the subject, and the witnesses. Therefore the interview questions are different for each of them.

Ending the investigation interviews

It is important to always end the interview on a positive note. This is the time to thank the interviewees for their time and give them your contact information when they remember something related to the incident. It is also a great opportunity to collect more important information.

Final thoughts

Throughout the investigations, the investigator is required to remain neutral. With the main objective being to find out the truth of how events transpired, the investigator's personal prejudice should hold no sway in the outcome of the investigation. The investigator's job is to find the truth by gathering evidence.

Offenders Are Not Always Men

Most of the time it is men who harass women, but other cases are also not rare. Eventually, it doesn’t matter how harasses who, you must take action to stop it and get the offender punished. As long as the conduct is sexual in nature, you should get the help of a Sexual Harassment Lawyer.

Does the Law Protect You?

When it comes to the law, it has a very strong stand against sexual harassment at workplace. If you are facing such kind of victimization at work, you should never be afraid to report. Many victims fear that once they reports they will be treated badly by their seniors and employer.

Document the Conduct

If possible, you should document the conduct. It can be used as evidence when you file a complaint or take legal action. You can keep the offensive material the offender gave you or copies of something he/she showed you. You can maintain a record of the moments when such conduct, advances or comments were made.

Employer Liability

The employer is responsible for the conduct of all the managers and supervisors. In fact, your employer is also liable for protecting you against harassment from those who are non-employees. It is the department manager who holds the first line of liability for any kind of harassment between colleagues.

Serving all of Orange County

Anaheim | Orange | Garden Grove | Tustin | Huntington Beach Fullerton | Irvine | Santa Ana | Costa Mesa | Newport Beach | Lake Forest As well as Los Angeles County, San Bernardino County and Riverside County

What is the law against harassing phone calls?

Harassing phone calls represent an unwelcome intrusion on your privacy; the Federal Communications Act and an assortment of state laws prohibit all forms of telephone harassment. If you are a victim of telephone harassment, contact a harassment lawyer in your area to put an end to the aggressive party’s intrusive actions.

How to quell harassment?

Consulting with a harassment lawyer is the first step to quell your problem. Although there are a number of types of harassment, you should understand the legal issues associated with the activity before you contact a harassment lawyer. For starters, if you are being harassed over the telephone, having a basic knowledge ...

What is harassment in law?

In the legal sense, harassment is an intentional behavior that is found disturbing or threatening.

What to do if you feel harassed?

No individual should live in fear of harassment; there are steps to take to curb incessant obstructions like harassment. Consulting with a harassment lawyer is the first step ...

Is phone harassment a criminal offense?

Although one unwelcoming call may be deemed harassment, a single instance will not require the service of a harassment lawyer. Individuals who commit telephone harassment will be subject to fines, prison or both. Telephone harassment laws vary by state; in the majority of jurisdictions, telephone harassment is a criminal misdemeanor. ...

What is contingency fee?

In cases where you are suing for monetary damages, the lawyer may represent you for a “contingency fee.”. This means the attorney gets paid a portion (typically one-third) of the amount you receive after a successful trial or settlement. Make sure you discuss expenses as well as attorney fees.

How can a lawyer save you money?

Your lawyer can often save you money by delegating routine tasks to firm employees who charge a lower hourly rate. However, your lawyer should be involved in all key aspects and decisions of your case, or should explain to you why a colleague can handle some important part of the matter just as well.

What is the importance of having a lawyer?

Getting a lawyer with the right legal background is essential, but it is also important to know whether your attorney has experience with the judges who will likely preside over your case. If yours is a criminal matter, it is important to know if your lawyer knows the local prosecutors. This courtroom experience can greatly enhance your lawyer’s ability to evaluate the likely outcomes in your case and give you advice that you can rely on.

Why is it important to choose the right lawyer?

Choosing the right lawyer is a very important decision—whether you were in a car accident, have a medical malpractice claim, or find yourself the target of a criminal investigation. Referrals from friends or co-workers can be great, but you need to do your homework to make sure you have the right attorney for the job.

What should a lawyer review with their clients before trial?

Every lawyer should review with their clients the possibility of a negotiated resolution prior to trial. In criminal matters, for example, you may be able to get a good plea bargain. In civil cases, your lawyer might propose mediation, a settlement negotiation process involving a neutral third-party.

How to discuss case strategy?

In discussing case strategy, your lawyer should give you an estimate of how much time it will take to get to a resolution. Keep in mind that your lawyer does not control the pace of the process and cannot make any promises about when it will be over.

What is a conflict in a lawyer?

If the lawyer’s representation of prior or existing clients would limit the attorney’s ability to represent you, there is likely a conflict. For example, if you want to sue a hospital that the potential lawyer regularly represents, there would be a conflict. A conflict might also arise if the attorney you are interviewing has already been hired by ...

image

Have You Objected to The Harassment?

  • Title VII makes it illegal for employers to allow harassment at work based on a number of protected traits, including race, sex or gender, and religion. But for your discrimination claim to be successful, it must be clear that the behavior in question was objectionable. Employers are sometimes able to defend against discrimination claims by saying the complaining employee w…
See more on eandblaw.com

Have Other Employees Seen The Harassment?

  • Workplace harassment claims often depend on the strength of witnesses' testimony. If the only evidence you have is your own word, you will be facing an uphill battle. There are lots of ways to prove a workplace harassment case. If other employees were there when the harassment happened, that can be a great place to start. So ask your coworkers, "Did you see what he (or sh…
See more on eandblaw.com

Do You Have The Proof You Need?

  • Proving a workplace harassment claim isn't just about witnesses. Often sexual advances or racial slurs show up in writing. Ask yourself "What proof do I have?" This could include: 1. Messages through a workplace communications app 2. Emails 3. Notes 4. Photos of offensive behavior or imagery 5. Copies of performance reviews 6. Copies of internal co...
See more on eandblaw.com

How Did Management Respond?

  • To file a workplace harassment claim with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) or in court, you need to show more than just that the behavior happened. You also need to show that your employer failed to respond appropriately. Once you have reported the behavior, ask yourself "How did management respond?" A reasonable response to a workplace harassme…
See more on eandblaw.com

How Do You Want to Resolve Your Claim?

  • The biggest question to ask yourself before filing a workplace discrimination claim is what you want to get out of it. Depending on your circumstances, you may prefer getting your job back, making changes to company policy, or simply being compensated for your time and frustration. At Eisenberg & Baum, LLP, our experienced workplace harassment attorneys can help you answer t…
See more on eandblaw.com

The Standard Procedure For Conducting A Harassment Investigation

  • The aim of a harassment investigation is to develop accurate, detailed, and factual evidence of the nature of the complaint and present it to the employers, who then take action. That is why it is vitally crucial to take detailed notes of each employee interview. To conduct the investigation thoroughly, the person should: 1. First, identify the interviewees; the complainant (victim), the su…
See more on easyllama.com

The Employee Interview Questions For The Incident

  • The interviewees in a harassment case include the complainant, the subject, and the witnesses. Therefore the interview questions are different for each of them. All investigators have the standard questions that they should ask employees in these cases. However, a good investigator knows how to ask probing questions, based on the replies they recei...
See more on easyllama.com

Ending The Investigation Interviews

  • It is important to always end the interview on a positive note. This is the time to thank the interviewees for their time and give them your contact information when they remember something related to the incident. It is also a great opportunity to collect more important information. At the end of the interview, the interviewees are relaxed and may even reveal crucia…
See more on easyllama.com

Final Thoughts

  • Throughout the investigations, the investigator is required to remain neutral. With the main objective being to find out the truth of how events transpired, the investigator's personal prejudice should hold no sway in the outcome of the investigation. The investigator's job is to find the truth by gathering evidence. An excellent investigator is one who has a great deal of self-control and s…
See more on easyllama.com