Legal Question in Sexual Harassment in Texas

Sexual Harassment Laws

There are federal and state law that protect people from Sexual Harassment. The federal law is known as title VII and is in the United States Code in Title 42 section 2000 (I am not sure if the section 2000 is the correct number but it is close. Basically the federal law protects you from having to deal with a hostile environment at work or from Quid Pro Quo harassment. Hostile environment means that your co-workers or supervisors or sometimes customers make fun of you are rude, they touch you or continuously ask you for a date or sex. There are many different stories and events that can be considered hostile environment. Quid Pro Quo is when a supervisor or someone with authority ask you for sexual favors in return for something. The easiest example is "Have sex with me or you are fired."

Other federal laws apply if you are going to school and the school receives federal assistance, or if the employer is a government agency, town or county.

State Laws vary from State to state but for the most part are similar to the federal law. Usually you need to file a claim with a state or federal agency within 180 days and let them investigate it. After that you can ask for a right to sue letter and bring a claim in court.

This area is pretty complicated and the timelines are short in hterms of protecting your claim. I suggest that you find a Texas lawyer (If that is where you are) and sit down and have an initial conference/meeting with him or her. Make sure you get someone who has some experience in sexual harassment issues. Good Luck.