Legal Question in Sexual Harassment in Michigan

it started with a hug

a coworker said it was ok for our boss to hug her a couple of months ago. Now i have reports from other people and have witnessed myself that the hugging has gone from casual to putting his hands slightly below the top of her pants and casually resting his hands on the side of her breasts when they seperate from the hug. The owner(who lives out of state) said that she could not see this happening because they are close friends and he did not do this to her when she was vulnerable. the boss has also called me a ''lazy fat ass'' in front of other employees and makes it a point to tell me how much they have done for me and put up medically (i was attacked on the job)i'm feeling pressure from both ways. I've already talked with the owner about the harassment to my coworker and it accomplished nothing. i put in a 60 hour week and am called names. what can i do to improve the relationship with the owner and stop these problems? if it goes to court can we combine the cases? and what if this coworker is the only one who ''remembers'' the name calling?

i would really appreciate some help.

thank you for your time


Asked on 6/05/02, 3:07 am

1 Answer from Attorneys
William Stern William Stern, P.C.

Re: it started with a hug

You are not the one who was sexually harrassed. You have no protection from the sexual harrassment laws. Theoretically, if you are fired, you may have some protection from a public policy viewpoint but I would not put much weight into that possibility. It is up to the person who was sexually harrassed to take action, not you. You are the witness. As far as protection because the boss called you named, etc., the only possibility is for intentional infliction of emotional distress but, once again, don't count on an a lawsuit to give you any satisfaction. I'd start looking for a new job. Bill Stern

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Answered on 6/05/02, 7:02 am


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