Chicago is the third largest city in the United States. And one would think given its’ size that employers in the city would be sophisticated and advanced when it comes to treatment of employees. This isn’t always the case and my Chicago office sees more and more claims of sexual harassment in the workplace. Maybe it’s the big buildings and fast pace, but supervisors seem to feel like they can take advantage of females in the workplace.
So what makes Chicago that much different regarding sexual harassment than the rest of the state of Illinois? For one thing, the people in the city are more liberal and more likely to award a larger monetary amount than the rest of the state. This comes into play during settlement discussions because the other side has to be mindful of this when determining their potential liability. Remember, if an employer loses a sexual harassment case in Illinois they are responsible in most cases for legal fees which could exceed one hundred thousand dollars. It is very rare that a Judge won’t award a successful plaintiff attorney fees in a case.
Chicago also has offices for both the Illinois Department of Human Rights and the Illinois Human Rights Commission. Additionally, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is located downtown. Having an office downtown gives me an advantage over other firms that are located in the suburbs. Having the ability to walk a block to file documents and attend hearings is a big advantage for my office and if you hire me, for you.
So how are you suppose to prove your Chicago sexual harassment case? Many people think that witnesses are the best form or proof. That isn’t quite correct. Witness testimony is many times unreliable and subject to claims of some sort of bias. So your witness may have an ax to grind with the company or may have been fired by the company. Perhaps the supervisor and witness did not get along and the company will claim that is why the employee turned witness is now making up a story.
The better evidence is going to be emails and text messages. That type of evidence is not subject to claims of bias or ill will. Text messages and emails are written by the harasser and show exactly what he wrote. He can’t claim the message doesn’t purport to say what it says. It is right there in black and white. It also shows the date and time it was sent. And with a little work, you can even place the location of the person when he drafted and sent the text message or email. Electronic evidence is always better than witness testimony in my opinion.
In Chicago when faces with sexual harassment in the workplace the first thing you should do is contact my office and get my advice based on the specific facts of your case. I never charge to discuss a sexual harassment case. Getting an experienced Chicago sexual harassment attorney involved early is going to allow your case to reach its maximum potential and will give you the best chance of success. Don’t go it alone and against the onslaught you will face by the company. In Chicago it is important that you protect your employment rights at work.
