Indiana workers who are subjected to sexual harassment, discrimination, retaliation or any other illegal behaviors should be cognizant of their rights. These acts are ongoing despite growing vigilance and campaigns to put a stop to it. An example of a high-profile case is the National Football League franchise in Washington that, in addition to dealing with a pending change to its name, has been accused of widespread sexual harassment.
According to the allegations, 15 female employees said they were confronted with various forms of harassment while working for the organization, ranging from sexual harassment to verbal abuse. One former employee spoke out publicly while the others remained anonymous because they had signed non-disclosure agreements. The identified former marketing employee, age 31, worked for the team beginning in 2014. She reportedly allowed the behavior to continue unchallenged due to fear of losing her job.
The women were allegedly harassed from 2006 to 2019. They claim to have endured assessments about their appearance, received sexual advances and heard lewd comments. Two men from the football operations department were named and subsequently fired. A broadcaster was accused and retired. Owner Daniel Snyder and the former team president were not named, but the women believe that these individuals were aware of what was happening. After the reports came to light, the organization said it is taking the accusations seriously and plans on making changes to improve its workplace culture.
Sexual harassment can impact anyone and have negative consequences. Even though there is increased awareness about the problem, it unfortunately continues to happen with a troubling frequency. Those who have lost a job, stagnated in their career, and lost income and benefits because of sexual harassment should know what steps to take to recover compensation. Experienced legal professionals may provide information and help with moving forward with a claim.
