Workplace harassment is not just illegally wrong, but morally as well. All states and the federal laws prohibit it. If you are a victim, it is vital that you understand your legal remedies and options.
Anyone who experiences harassment at the workplace can legally pursue damages. These damages are intended to compensate the victim for the monetary as well as emotional and mental losses. An experienced attorney can help you determine what losses you qualify for. Seek consultation and hire an attorney today.
List of damages you can recover in a workplace harassment case.
- Compensatory damages.
Compensatory damages are the money you get to make up for the harm that happened to you because of the harassment. They are meant to recover physical, mental, and emotional damages you experienced and things you were unable to enjoy because of what happened. In simpler words, it is like getting paid back for the pain and suffering you have endured.
- Economic damages.
These damages are tangible and, therefore, have a monetary value. The income lost due to the harassment, called lost wages, is included in the economic damages.
Lost wages may be because you were forced to leave your job, missed work due to mental trauma or stress, demoted by harassment, etc.
Economic damages also include medical damages, which are costs of medical treatment that you incurred due to the harassment, such as therapy or counseling sessions. Any medical cost that you can prove resulted from the harassment can be recovered.
- Punitive damages.
If an employee is able to show by strong and convincing evidence that their employer engaged in oppression, malice, or fraud, they may be entitled to punitive damages. This standard must be met.
If an employer knew about the unlawful harassment an employee was experiencing and did nothing to stop it, they may be held accountable for punitive damages. This shows that the employer approved of the harassing behavior, which places the blame for the illegal harassment on the employer.
Therefore, it is appropriate to use punitive damages to hold the employer responsible for the misconduct and the harassment that its employee’s employer was experiencing.
- Non-economic damages.
Non-economic damages compensate for losses that are subjective and difficult to quantify. It includes emotional distress, which is a form of compensation for the psychological effects of the harassment, including trauma, anxiety, and depression. It also covers the loss of enjoyment of life that resulted due to the harassment.
You may also be entitled to compensation for loss of reputation at the workplace. Sexual harassment can also affect an employee’s personal relationships. The disruption to family and social interactions is one of the most significant impacts of sexual harassment. Hire a good lawyer today to make sure that your suffering is not being ignored.
Do not let the injustice that happened to you go unchallenged. Contact an attorney today!