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Sexual harassment law in Manchester, United States, is essentially a part of federal law, specifically Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This act prohibits sexual harassment as a form of sex discrimination. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission defines sexual harassment as unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, or other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature either implicitly or explicitly affecting one's employment, unreasonably interfering with an individual's work performance, or creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment.
Victims of sexual harassment often require the expertise of a lawyer to navigate the complexities of the legal system, whether it is to file a complaint at the state or federal level, or to pursue a lawsuit against an employer or individual. You may need legal counsel if you've experienced unwanted solicitation or conduct of a sexual nature that has negatively affected your employment or workspace, or if you are an employer facing accusations of sexual harassment within your organization and need to understand your legal responsibilities and potential defenses.
Manchester, like other cities in New Hampshire, follows the state's sexual harassment laws in conjunction with federal laws. New Hampshire's Law Against Discrimination (RSA 354-A) specifically includes sexual harassment as a form of unlawful employment discrimination. Any form of unwelcome sexual behavior that creates a hostile, offensive, or abusive work environment constitutes sexual harassment. This can be either 'quid pro quo harassment' (something for something) where job benefits are tied to compliance with unwanted sexual advances, or 'hostile work environment harassment' where the harassment is severe or pervasive enough to create an abusive work environment.
Sexual harassment can encompass a wide range of behaviors from verbal comments to physical advances or actions of a sexual nature. It can include, but is not limited to, unwanted sexual comments, requests for sexual favors, unwanted physical touch, or the display of explicit material in the workplace.
Sexual harassment can be committed by anyone in the workplace, including supervisors, co-workers, or non-employees such as clients, customers or vendors. It can also occur between people of the same or different genders.
If you feel you are a victim of sexual harassment, start by letting the harasser know if you feel safe to do so, that their behavior is unwelcome. Record all instances of the harassment and report it to your employer according to their procedures. It's also advisable to consult with a sexual harassment lawyer to understand your options and rights.
Employers can help prevent sexual harassment by creating and enforcing a clear sexual harassment policy, providing regular training to staff, establishing a system for complaints, and promptly investigating any allegations of harassment.
Both federal and state laws prohibit employers from retaliating against employees who file a sexual harassment complaint or participate in an investigation.
For additional resources, you may contact the New Hampshire Commission for Human Rights or the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission which provides information, guidance and complaint filing procedures. Local organizations like the New Hampshire Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence also offer support and advice.
If you believe you've been the victim of sexual harassment, or an employer wanting further advice, consider consulting a lawyer specializing in sexual harassment law. They can guide you on next steps, whether that may be filing a formal complaint, launching an investigation or defending your rights in court. You can typically initiate this by scheduling a consultation through their firm's website or phone number.
