Workers in Iowa might be intimidated when they are facing sexual harassment on the job. This is made worse when the alleged harasser is a person who is in a powerful position in the state. It is important to remember that everyone has rights and it is irrelevant if the perpetrator is someone who might have a certain amount of sway and political connections due to the nature of his or her job and reputation. Reporting the sexual harassment is critical not just for the good of the victim, but to put a stop to the behavior so others will not be subjected to it. Having a law firm with experience in helping those who are victimized is crucial when taking that next step.
A report detailing the conclusions of an investigation into the behavior of the former head of the Iowa Finance Authority stated that he committed sexual harassment while on the job. The investigation says that he touched an employee inappropriately, showed a pornographic video to an employee as they traveled for work and asked that same employee questions about her sexual habits. The former head denies that he committed these acts.
The report says that the two women were the only ones they found that were sexually harassed by him. It does, however, say that other female employees were subjected to inappropriate behavior with jokes that were deemed to be immature. The report says that outside agencies were not aware of how he was acting within his own workplace. The man stated that he did not recall certain incidents and he denies others. Employees were said to be fearful of reporting him because he has a supposed close relationship with the governor. The authors of the report suggest that a system be put in place to address such concerns and allegations of inappropriate behaviors.
This case is an example of how people who are subjected to sexually explicit material in the workplace, offensive sexual comments and other aspects that lead to a hostile work environment due to sexual harassment might be afraid to come forward. It does not even need to be a job in which the alleged harasser is known to be a powerful figure. Simply dealing with an overbearing boss or supervisor can be sufficient to dissuade a victim from coming forward. When these concerns or others related to sexual harassment are a hindrance, it is imperative to have legal help. Calling a lawyer who understands how to pursue cases related to sexual harassment is vital to putting a stop to the behavior and receiving compensation.