Legal Question in Sexual Harassment in Massachusetts
sexual harassment
i am a teacher and my boss is male. he constantly says rude things to me and about others to me. I was not permanent according to our contract until 3 years of service . i was told to lay low (basically not say anything to cause trouble until i became permanent. he has made comments such as here is 50 bucks how about a blow job. that is a mild comment. i have been going through this for almost 2 years. he is always yelling and talking down to me saying i cannot do anything without his permission. another teacher who is male laughs at this and can basically do what he wants. i was informed today that i wasnt getting rehired. I kept all this in and kept a diary of all the things that have been said or done to me. including them putting a picture of a mans penis on my computer screen saver. i felt if i said anything this man in vindictive enough to do more to me. my career is now over and i am distraught over this and dont know what to do. i thought i did what was right hoping if i didnt make waves i would be rehired and just get by one more year until he retired. he is close with the administration and constantly lies. what do i do
2 Answers from Attorneys
Re: sexual harassment
The facts as you state them suggest you may have a good case. Given the boss' position of trust in a school system, and assuming your claims are as strong as they appear, the school system might (but also might not) try to resolve the case quickly and quietly to avoid negative press.
You probably have significant leverage here, and should contact an experienced and reputable attorney, and do so quickly, as there are initial procedural requirements in these cases that must be followed or the claims are gone. Contact me if you would like a free consultation. If we came to an agreement, I would immediately get going.
Re: sexual harassment
It sounds like you have done a good job of documenting your case. With a substantial case such as yours, the first thing you should do is consult with an attorney experienced in prosecuting sexual harassment cases and employment discrimination cases. The attorney can assist you in preserving evidence and filing your complaint in a timely manner. Sexual harassment and sex discrimination cases must be filed with the EEOC or the MCAD fairly promptly. In your case, you would probably want to file a complaint soon. Employees have important rights under federal and state law to be free from sexual harassment and discrimination. Where your career has been potentially adversely effected, and where you sound like you have experienced very negative emotional effects from the harassment, your claim could be very valuable. I have a newsletter that is specifically focused on sexual harassment law in Massachusetts. It is based on more than 30 sexual harassment cases that I have pursued over the past 18 years. I distribute it for free upon request. These case can often be handled on a contingency fee basis so that you can afford excellent legal services. The best response to a case such as yours is more complex than can be addressed in an e-mail and depends on a more detailed understanding of the facts than you have set out. I urge you to get some legal help.
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