In the face of all the sexual harassment allegations that are flying around across industries in the U.S., the City of Long Beach is reviewing its sexual harassment policies to amend and add new provisions.
In an effort to ensure that no forms of sexual harassment in the workplace are tolerated, Long Beach’s City Council is looking into sex harassment complaints received over the past five years to amend its policies and encourage victims to report sexual misconduct at work without fear of retaliation or not being believed.
Fact #1: an estimated one of every three women in the U.S. have experienced sexual harassment at work at some point in their career.
Fact #2: more shockingly, a whopping 71 to 75 percent of women choose to not report sexual harassment in the workplace.
New sexual harassment policies in the wake of mounting sexual misconduct allegations against powerful CEOs, employers, managers, and other men who have been abusing employees and coworkers could bring fundamental changes to the workplace in Long Beach, our sexual harassment attorneys at JML Law say.
How will new sexual harassment policies change the workplace
Eighth District Councilman Al Austin is authoring the new sexual harassment policies in Long Beach after conducting a thorough examination of the city’s current policies to find potential flaws.
After handling hundreds of sexual misconduct claims in the city, our best Long Beach sexual harassment attorneys can say this: there are plenty of flaws in the current policies.
The new policies are expected to address some of the most urgent issues unveiled by the #MeToo movement to make the workplace safer and less predatory, sexist, and abusive, but how will it change the lives of Long Beach employers and employees?
The city council is also expected to review other harassment policies, not just sexual, as sexual harassment is not the only type of harassment swarming U.S. workplaces. Racial, age, and gender harassment and discrimination are just as prevalent as sexual, harassment attorneys at JML Law say.
How flawed are current sexual harassment policies in Long Beach
Under the current sexual harassment policies in Long Beach, the victim of sexual misconduct at work is supposed to file a complaint with the company’s human resources (HR) department.
Also, the victim can go straight to the city department and the Equal Employment Opportunity Office (EEOO) to report sexual harassment at work. Although both are neutral parties and conduct unbiased investigations, you never know if your harasser or abuser has any connections within these departments.
That’s why it’s vital to be legally represented by an experienced sexual harassment attorney from a reputable law firm. One such firm that has earned a solid reputation across California is JML Law, which helps victims of sexual misconduct in the workplace file their claims and pursue legal action against the harasser or abuser without the fear of retaliation or not being believed.
Our best sexual harassment lawyers help victims to collect the kind of evidence of the harassment or abuse at work that would resonate with juries and judges. This will help maximize your financial compensation and prevent the harasser or abuser from engaging in unlawful and disgusting activities against other women at work.
Another flaw in Long Beach’s current sexual harassment policies is that the statute of limitations requires victims of sexual misconduct to file a lawsuit within one year after the last incident of sexual harassment took place.
For those who have been empowered by the ongoing wave of sexual misconduct allegations sweeping the U.S., the current statute of limitations creates major obstacles and prevents them from pursuing legal action against predators, gropers, harassers, and abusers at work, our sexual harassment attorneys at JML Law explain.
It’s yet unclear whether or not the city council will review or lift the current statute of limitations to enable more women to speak out against predators and seek justice.
Have you been sexually harassed or abused at work by your employer or coworkers? Seek the legal advice of our skilled attorneys today to learn all legal options available in your case. Call our Long Beach offices at 818-610-8800 or send an email for a free case evaluation.