hostile workplace, some sexual harrassment-date, time, witnesses recorded.

My workplace seems to me like a very hostile place to work in. Here are a
few reasons why I think so:

1. There is a sign that says � Do something or I�ll kick your ass again.� There was a � Do something or I�ll kick your ass� before which got too wilted and worned-out.

2. There is only one HR personnel for a company of 200 people. Many times, he is the perpetrator of these hostile work environments actions (see below). In these cases, there is no one else to approach.

3. Some of the cases that I feel I am being harassed are as below. I recorded them down as they happened, including date, time and witneses. Other similar incidents have happened which I did not record.

12:30. 3rd May, 2005. X mentioned that I want to have a big butt, and he has big lips and is a good kisser. He asked if I want to try kissing him.
Witnesses: (I have recorded down the witnesses)

6.34pm Monday, May 9, 2005
X asked me if there is a ghost in my new apartment, and if I checked if someone died at that place. Says that a sex-crazed ghost will come look for me at night and that I should beware. No one is around but Y. Very possibly, she did not hear.
I sent him an email and said that there is no ghost at my place. He said, �you�ll find out later, at night�

3:19pm: T said to me: �What are you doing here? Do you work here?� U from was there, X was there.
I said to U : �It�s funny that HR (T is that one HR person I mentioned earlier) doesn�t know that I work here�

During my first week, T ( who is HR) said to me �if you get cancer, don�t work here. You�ll just increase the company�s insurance payout� when I said something about getting cancer when we were discussing about health

X also used a very rude denomination of vagina to me in our native language.

Oct 3rd, 2005. 12:45pm, lunch room
T commented that I have dyed my hair purple. fyi, my hair was blackish purple. Some comments:
�How do you meet customers� �I don�t meet customers�
I commented that �you have black, why not purple� He said�Ya, but only if you work in Hooters�
I have 9 witnesses. In this case, I'm quite sure that many of them will be happy to testify as people were awkward and felt that he was being very rude.

One other incident that I can think about is that a fellow male co-worker has asked me to massage his back and neck, and I have showed disgust. He kept trying to get me to do it again too. There was a witness in the room.

There is also a case where I approached T (HR) about someone in my company who touched me on my shoulders suggestively. He said I was just being �sensitive� and not used to working in a �quirky� company.

Many women in this company has expressed that it is a very sexist company to work in. Looking at the structure, there are many departments with no women working in there, or one token female.

Please let me know what I should do. Many people in this company agreed that it�s not a good place to work in. On the other hand, I don�t have a lot of time and resources to pursue this. What are the things that I can do? Should I even do anything? Last but not least THANK YOU VERY MUCH!

2 answers  |  asked Oct 3, 2005 4:16 PM [EST]  |  applies to California

Answers (2)

George Allen
Sex. Harr.

No one should have to endure the work environment you describe. This may be a legally actionable hostile work environment. I suggest that you consult with an experienced employment law attorney. Check the membership listing at www.celaweb.org.

posted by George Allen  |  Oct 3, 2005 5:36 PM [EST]
Janet M. Koehn
sexual harassment

you have a case of hostile environment sexual harassment. depending on what your goals are (stay on your job or not?), you may receive different advice. you need to see an attorney skilled in employment law as soon as possible. there are many such experienced attorneys in your area. go to the website of the cal employment lawyers assn (www. celaweb.org) for a list of attorneys who are members of the association in your area.
good luck
janet m. koehn
ventura ca

posted by Janet M. Koehn  |  Oct 3, 2005 5:30 PM [EST]

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