It is an unfortunate reality that sexual harassment allegations are prevalent in the restaurant industry. In fact, over 14 percent of the 41,250 sexual harassment claims filed between 2005 and 2015 in the U.S were in the food service and hospitality sectors. One study found that 40% of women have experienced unwelcome sexual behaviors while at work. Fortunately, public perception of sexual harassment is changing, and many behaviors which were once tolerated are no longer socially acceptable.

Close Proximity and Availability of Alcohol May Contribute to Harassment Risk

There are several reasons that sexual harassment is such an issue in the food service industry. In some circumstances, restaurant owners or chefs have absolute power. If a chef who brings in massive revenue for the restaurant sexually harasses a server, the restaurant may simply fire the server. Employees who are unaware of their legal rights may assume they must tolerate unwanted attention because their immediate boss will not stop it. This is worsened by the fact that many young people work in restaurants. A young teenager at their first job may assume that all work places involve inappropriate behavior since they have no other work experience to use as a comparison. The close quarters of many restaurants can also increase the prevalence of sexual harassment. Employees who work at bars and restaurants with alcohol may have the greatest risk of being sexually harassed because of the inhibition-lowering effects of drinking.

Employers Can Be Held Liable if They Allow Employees to be Sexual Harassed

Many servers, bussers, cashiers, and other restaurant workers have experienced instances when a customer did or said something that made them feel very uncomfortable, but they did not say anything for fear of losing tip money. While customers acting inappropriately toward an employee itself is not considered unlawful sexual harassment, if it is reported and the employer does nothing to stop it, the employee can bring a claim of hostile work environment sexual harassment against the employer.

Deciding to end a marriage is already a tremendously difficult decision to make. Financial stressors like an overspending spouse only add to the complications associated with divorce. Unfortunately, divorce can sometimes bring out the worst in people. Some divorcing individuals make extravagant purchases before a divorce is finalized in order to get back at their soon-to-be-ex. Bitter spouses may frivolously spend money simply to keep it out of the final divorce settlement. Others use overspending as a way to cope with the emotional pain of the separation. Whatever the reason, when a spouse makes reckless financial decisions during the breakdown of a marriage, the other spouse deserves to be pardoned from those debts.

Recovering Dissipated or Wasted Assets

If you have recently learned that your soon-to-be-ex-spouse sold a valuable shared asset or spent thousands on a secret paramour, you may still be able to recover these funds. “Dissipation of assets” refers to the wasting of marital property or wealth through excessive spending, gambling, unwarranted borrowing, or fraudulent transference to a third party. A spouse who wastes funds in this way may be required to pay the marital estate back. In extreme cases of dissipation, the non-offending spouse may be given a disproportionately larger share of the remaining assets. Courts also have the authority to rescind transmissions of assets like real estate and stock if the transfer happened with fraudulent intent.

Contact a Wheaton Family Law Attorney for Help

If you are considering divorce while in a challenging financial situation, talking to a qualified divorce attorney can help you understand how to best protect your financial interests. Contact the experienced DuPage County divorce lawyers at Mirabella, Kincaid, Frederick & Mirabella, LLC today by calling 630-665-7300.

Everyone deserves the right to feel safe and be free from harassment when they are at work. Unfortunately, sexual harassment continues to be a problem in the United States and around the world.

Sexual harassment, as it is defined by the law, includes “hostile work environment” harassment and “quid pro quo” harassment. When sex-based remarks, jokes, and other derogatory behavior make a work environment intolerable for employees, this is considered a hostile work environment. Quid pro quo harassment most often involves a superior attempting to garner sexual favors in exchange for work benefits. Employees are protected from both types of harassment by Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 as well as various state and local laws. If you have been a victim of sexual harassment, it is imperative that you report the harassment. Waiting to file a complaint about sexual harassment can significantly decrease the likelihood that you will receive compensation for damages.

Do Not Make the Mistake of Staying Silent About Harassment or Discrimination

Laws exists to protect employees from both harassment and retaliation. If you have been harassed, but fear reporting it because your employer will retaliate against you, you should know that the law is on your side. Victims of sexual harassment should carefully record any instances of harassing behavior they are subjected to and save copies of harassing emails or text messages. Next, they must follow the procedure outlined in their company’s employee handbook for reporting sexual harassment. If the employer does not resolve the situation, further legal action can be taken. A claimant, or person bringing a claim, can file a sexual harassment civil suit to recover financial compensation for damages like lost wages or back pay.

We all know at least a few people who spend a great deal of time posting pictures and details of their lives to Facebook or Instagram. Sometimes, the appeal of posting on social media is so strong that it can cause a person to lose focus on the events happening in real life around him or her. Most people, of course, are able to use social networking sites reasonably to share photos and updates with distant friends and family, allowing them to stay in touch more quickly and directly than ever before. There are, however, some dangers associated with the use of social media, particularly for those who are in the midst of a divorce or other legal action. It is important to remember that anything you post could end up presented as evidence in court.

Conflicting Messages

While the use of social networking sites does not require ink and paper, posts and shared information are often treated as written documents. Emails and text messages, as you may be aware, can be subpoenaed to refute claims that you have made in your divorce filings. Similarly, screenshots of information that you have posted could also be used in an effort to discredit your testimony. For example, if you have told the court that you are not currently employed, but your LinkedIn profile says that you have been working for a friend’s company—possibly off the books—there are going to be questions raised.

Such questions could also be the result of photos and experiences that you share on Facebook. You may think that the pictures of your trip to the Bahamas were hidden from your soon-to-be ex because of your privacy settings, but a mutual friend could have shown them to your spouse. If you have been claiming that you have no money for basic expenses, alleged evidence of an expensive vacation could be difficult for you to explain, even if someone else paid for it.

You probably hear the words “sexual harassment” more often today than you have in decades. The recent outpouring of activism and support for victims of sexual harassment has been deeply meaningful to millions. Unfortunately, there is also a lot of confusion surrounding sexual harassment law and what behavior is considered sexual harassment. The following are the most common misconceptions about sexual harassment.

Myth 1: Sexual Harassment is Synonymous with Sexual Misconduct or Sexual Abuse

There is a lot of misunderstanding about what different sex crimes are called. This is partially due to some phrases being used casually and partially due to variances between different states’ terminology. Sexual harassment, as it pertains to the law, can only happen in a work or school environment. A construction worker who catcalls a passerby may be acting in an unacceptable way, but this is not technically sexual harassment.

Myth 2: Only Women Are Victims of Sexual Harassment

Recently, singer Mariah Carey settled a sexual harassment lawsuit with her former manager, who is also a woman. The former manager alleged that Carey was often nude around her and that she felt uncomfortable. This is just one of many sexual lawsuits brought against women every year. Both men and women can be victims and perpetrators of sexual harassment.