Tuesday, March 15, 2016

How much money is my sexual harassment lawsuit worth?

Show me the money! That is what our society is about as Cuba Gooding Jr. loudly screamed in the movie Jerry McGuire while playing Rod Tidwell. Well, sexual harassment suits have a value on them too.

Employees who are subjected to unwelcome advances of sexual nature, offensive comments about their gender, actions or innuendos which are sexual in nature are entitled to compensation in a sexual harassment lawsuit. Sexual harassment lawyers explain that your compensation will depend entirely on the kind of economic and emotional harm you have suffered. 

Financial compensation, better known as damages, is provided for wage loss and emotional pain. Wage loss compensation includes front pay and back pay. You usually suffer wage loss due to an adverse employment action such as a demotion, reduction in working hours, or termination. 
Compensation for emotional pain is provided for pain and suffering that you suffer due to persistent harassment. The third kind of damages is punitive damages. This is awarded to punish an employer who has retaliated against an employee after he/she reported the incident or failed to protect his employees from harassment.


What is Back Pay?

According to sexual harassment attorneys, when you are denied a promotion or a raise, or are fired from your position or demoted, you can claim back pay. Back pay comprises of wages, benefits, and compensation that were denied during your tenure due to adverse employment actions. These damages are calculated from the date on which the adverse employment decision was taken until the time you reach a settlement or a jury award. The list of damages included in back pay is:
  • Wages and raises you were entitled to
  • Benefits like health insurance, life insurance
  • Tips, bonuses, and commissions
  • Sick and vacation pay
  • Pension and retirement benefits
  • Profit sharing and stock options
If you have been mistreated at work you need to do something about it. Not only for your own psyche and morale but for the people in this past who this person probably mistreated. This behavior needs to be squashed. You will need legal help though to make this happen. You can find this legal help right here: Sexual-Harassment-USAttorneys. Contact us if you have to. We will get back to you within a day, perhaps within a few hours.

What is Front Pay?

Front pay is applied when a worker is forced to quit his or her employment or has been fired. Under front pay laws the court may ask for the worker to be reinstated. Often however it is not possible if the position is not vacant or if the relationship between the worker and the employee is tarnished making the situation not conducive for a return. You saw that in the show The Shield when Vic Mackey left his LAPD position under some law enforcement secrecy cloud where he was immune from punishment. He could not return to the LAPD despite him being the best police officer in the force and the one most willing to get his hands dirty when the going got tough.

If the latter is the case, then you are provided with wages calculated from the judgment date until a date in the future.

The court will decide how far into the future you will be able to claim compensation according to sexual harassment lawyers. The calculation depends on several factors.
  • How long will it take for you to get a different employment?
  • Your age?
  • How long were employed by the previous employer?
  • How long other workers who are employed in similar positions work for the company, public agency, or organization.
  • You are expected under the federal laws to make a good faith pitch to get a job elsewhere to mitigate the damage.
Compensatory Damages

If you have suffered emotional distress then you may be eligible to receive compensation for pain and suffering. If your reputation has suffered harm or you have to pay several out of pocket expenses for medical bills and while searching for a new job, you could be entitled to compensatory damages.

Punitive Damages

The employer is liable to pay punitive damages if the court decides that the management and the HR department knew about the harassment but allowed it to continue without taking any step/s to stop it. These type of damages usually ranges from $50,000 to $300,000 depending on the number of employees the company has.

If you believe you are a victim of sexual harassment or discrimination, make sure to reach out to a sexual harassment lawyer as soon as possible. Being sexually harassed or discriminated against can be devastating. Your legal professional will be well versed with the latest amendments to labor, employment, and sexual harassment law, and work your case accordingly. 

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