Overview
This case study explores a disturbing incident of workplace sexual harassment and subsequent retaliation. The victim, a female employee, endured a series of unwanted advances and physical assault from a higher-up at the company. Despite reporting the harassment, the victim faced adverse employment actions, including termination.
Background
The victim was hired by a major construction company to work on a large-scale solar project. Initially, the work environment seemed normal. However, a supervisor at a client company began to exhibit increasingly inappropriate behavior.
Escalating Sexual Harassment
The sexual harassment began with subtle advances, such as unsolicited attention, suggestive comments, and inappropriate physical contact. The supervisor’s behavior escalated to more overt actions, including:
- Persistent advances: The supervisor made repeated attempts to initiate romantic or sexual relationships.
- Physical assault: The supervisor physically assaulted the victim, engaging in unwanted touching and forceful advances.
- Intimidation: The supervisor’s actions created a hostile work environment and instilled fear in the victim.
After reporting the harassment to her supervisor, the victim experienced retaliation in the form of termination, allegedly due to excessive absences. However, the victim contends that these absences were directly related to the harassment and subsequent trauma.
