West Des Moines Employment Law Blog

Iowa residents who are simply trying to do their jobs to the best of their abilities might find themselves confronted with various forms of harassment and discrimination. This can be frightening and worrisome, as they may not know what to do to put a stop to it and are concerned about the possibility that a complaint could make matters worse. However, workers must remember that they have employee rights and can take steps to exercise them. Even if it takes time to file a case, it is important to understand how to move forward.

For example, a recent report notes that a 29-year-old woman who worked at an amusement park has filed a lawsuit asserting that she was harassed and was subjected to sexual and disability discrimination. The employee says that she worked at the job from May to September of 2017. She suffers from medical issues and asserts that she was subjected to harassment because of it. According to her, she informed the employers of her disabilities when she was interviewed for the job. Supervisors took part in bullying behaviors because of them. She claims that she was dismissed and a manager said that she would not have passed a drug test due to the medications she takes.

As an employee, you hope you never have to deal with any form of sexual harassment. Unfortunately, there may come a time when you find yourself in this undesirable position.

It's important to become familiar with the many types of sexual harassment, as this will give you a clear idea of your legal rights and the steps you should take (as well as things to avoid).

When sexual harassment takes place in the workplace in Iowa, it is common that the victim is not the only person aware of it. Witnesses might see that there is harassment taking place and there is frequently confusion as to the protocol of reporting it when another person is a victim of harassment. Understanding how the law views this issue is important when a person is subjected to sexual harassment at work and would like to seek help and file a legal claim about it.

There are certain public universities and government agencies that require witnesses to sexual harassment to report it. This is designed to shield the victim. In a recent incident, the Governor of Iowa, Kim Reynolds, dismissed the Iowa Finance Authority's director when he was alleged to have sexually harassed an employee. The victim asserted that he commented on her physique, questioned her regarding her sex life, asked her to join him in his hotel room and made jokes and gestures of a sexual nature. When she complained, she expressed how fearful she was, but felt she had no alternative.

For many Iowa residents, part of their religious observance dictates how they groom themselves and the clothes they wear. Some people are unaware of its importance to those who follow various religions and that these mandates must be followed. They will subsequently engage in religious discrimination in the workplace. Others might simply make untoward comments about it. This too can be viewed as religious discrimination and a violation of employee rights. Understanding how religious garb and grooming are protected in the workplace is important. If there is a violation, the victim may have the right to seek compensation in a legal filing.

A variety of religions - Judaism, Islam, some forms of Christianity and others - require that adherents adjust their grooming practices or wear certain clothing. Employers, in general, are required to alter their basic rules to allow workers to observe their religion. There are certain rights under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 that shields these workers if the workplace has a minimum of 15 employees.