Did something happen to you at work that felt wrong? Are you feeling unsure about what to call it or whether the law protects you? That question is worth exploring with an attorney. Sexual harassment covers a wide range of conduct, and many people who have valid legal claims never pursue them simply because they didn’t realize their experience qualified. You deserve to know where you stand.
If you know or suspect you’ve experienced workplace sexual harassment in Minneapolis, the Twin Cities, Duluth, Hibbing, or anywhere in Minnesota, John A. Klassen, P.A., is here to help. Contact our law firm today to arrange a confidential consultation session and get the support you need.
Sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination that violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act and the Minnesota Human Rights Act. At its core, sexual harassment involves unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that affects employment, unreasonably interferes with work performance, or creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive workplace.
This conduct can take many forms, including verbal comments, inappropriate touching, sharing of explicit images, or unwanted digital communication. Importantly, the law focuses on the impact of the behavior when determining whether it is unlawful, not the intent behind it. Even if a harasser claims they were “just joking,” their conduct may still be illegal.
If someone’s behavior at work has made you feel unsafe, uncomfortable, or targeted, you may have a valid claim worth discussing with a lawyer.
Sexual harassment generally falls into two main legal categories.
The first is “quid pro quo” (Latin for “this for that”) harassment. This type of harassment occurs when someone in a position of authority ties job benefits, like a promotion, raise, or continued employment, to an employee’s willingness to submit to unwelcome sexual conduct.
The second type is hostile work environment harassment, which occurs when severe or pervasive sexual misconduct makes a workplace unbearable, even without a direct threat to the employee’s job. Both types are illegal, and both can seriously affect a worker’s career and well-being.
An experienced sexual harassment lawyer can help you determine which category your experience falls into, which can shape the legal strategy they pursue on your behalf.
There are many different types of workplace sexual harassment. Minnesota and federal law both recognize that harassment can come from supervisors, peers, or outside parties, and they hold employers responsible for addressing harassment, no matter the source. If someone at work has made you feel unsafe, targeted, or coerced, an experienced lawyer can help you explore your legal options.
Attorney John Klassen represents employees across Minneapolis, the Twin Cities, Duluth, Hibbing, and Minnesota and fights hard to protect workers’ rights. Below is an overview of some of the most common types of workplace sexual harassment cases that Mr. Klassen handles.
If your supervisor or manager is the one harassing you, the legal stakes are especially high. The law holds employers to a stricter standard in these situations because a supervisor’s authority gives them real power over your career. They can influence your pay, your schedule, your advancement, and your continued employment.
If someone in that position uses that power to pressure you into tolerating unwelcome sexual conduct, or simply makes your workplace hostile through their behavior, that counts as actionable harassment. In many cases like this, employers bear direct liability for supervisors’ actions, even if no one at the company knew about the problem.
If your manager has made you feel unsafe, targeted, or coerced, you deserve help from an attorney who will take your situation seriously.
Harassment does not have to come from someone above you in the chain of command to be unlawful. If a coworker repeatedly makes sexual comments, sends inappropriate messages, touches you without consent, or otherwise creates a hostile environment, your employer has a legal obligation to address it. The key question the law asks when determining employer liability is whether your employer knew or should have known about the harassment and whether they took reasonable steps to stop it.
Many employees hesitate to report peer harassment because they worry no one will believe them or that management will dismiss it as a personality conflict. At our law firm, we take coworker harassment seriously and work to build strong cases even when employers try to minimize what happened.
Many people don’t realize that harassment from someone outside their company can still provide the basis for a legal claim. If a client, vendor, contractor, or other third party sexually harasses you, your employer has a responsibility to protect you once they become aware of the problem. Employers cannot simply shrug off third-party harassment because the offender doesn’t work for them.
This type of harassment is especially common in client-facing roles, the service industry, and sales positions, where employees regularly interact with outside parties and feel pressure to maintain smooth relationships. If you have reported harassment by a third party and your employer has brushed it off, an employment lawyer can help you determine whether you have a claim against your employer.
Some people assume that sexual harassment laws only protect employees from harassment by someone of the opposite sex. That assumption is incorrect. The U.S. Supreme Court confirmed in Oncale v. Sundowner Offshore Services (1998) that Title VII covers same-sex sexual harassment. Minnesota law also protects employees regardless of the sex of the harasser or the person they target.
Same-sex harassment can take the same forms as opposite-sex harassment, including quid pro quo pressure or hostile work environment harassment. If you have experienced harassment from someone of the same sex, don’t let anyone tell you that it doesn’t count. It does. Talk to a knowledgeable employment law attorney to discuss your options for seeking accountability and relief.
If you have experienced sexual harassment at work in Minneapolis, it’s natural to feel overwhelmed and unsure of how to respond. The good news is that you can take steps to protect your rights and strengthen any future legal claim you pursue. Here’s what you should do:
If you believe you may have experienced sexual harassment at work, don’t wait to get the guidance you need. There are strict deadlines for filing harassment claims, and the sooner you act, the stronger your case may be. At John A. Klassen, P.A., we represent employees across Minneapolis, the Twin Cities, Duluth, Hibbing, and Minnesota who are ready to stand up for their rights. Contact our law firm today to arrange your confidential initial consultation.
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