Being sexually harassed can be a very frightening experience for anyone. When sexual harassment occurs in a place of employment, it can be not only frightening but also stressful as a person's employment could be put at risk for being a victim. Situations where harassment victims are terminated from their positions due to speaking out are unfortunately more common than they should be. Many of these situations could be grounds for a wrongful termination suit against former employers in order for the employees to gain reparations for the wrong doing.
A Florida woman, who was formerly employed as a judicial assistant, claims that she faced sexual harassment at work and was fired from her position after the incident occurred. The situation reportedly began after the assistant accidentally walked into a room where a bailiff and judge were allegedly having sexual intercourse. The judge purportedly asked the assistant not to mention the encounter and said that the judge could have the assistant fired if she did speak of it.
The assistant alleges that after that incident, the same bailiff sexually harassed her as she was coming out of a bathroom. She claims he made lewd comments toward her and that he also said that he would talk to the chief judge about having her terminated from her position. She was later terminated from her position with the chief judge citing that she had falsified her timesheet, though the former assistant claimed to have evidence that she did not.
The former assistant filed a wrongful termination complaint after the sexual harassment and loss of her position. It has been reported that at this time the bailiff associated with the situation has been suspended pending an investigation into the incident. As the woman's case proceeds, she may find looking into Florida laws relating to sexual harassment in the workplace and wrongful termination beneficial to better bolster her position.
Source:
naplesnews.com, "Former Florida judicial assistant alleges harassment," Tamara Lush, July 24, 2013