Workplace Sexual Harassment Prevention Toolkit - Taking Action Against Workplace Sexual Harassment

Sep 17, 2026

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A survivors’ employment rights toolkit explaining how workplace sexual harassment is defined and why it is illegal under U.S. federal and state law. It outlines workers’ protected rights regardless of immigration status, recommends documenting incidents and reporting in writing, and provides practical steps for advocating for oneself. The toolkit also includes sample documentation and letter templates, guidance on filing complaints with government agencies, and resources for free or low-cost legal help.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryLetters

FormatPDF

Pages65

Reading Time23 min

AccessFree to download

Overview of Sexual Harassment Survivors’ Employment Rights Toolkit

Frequently Asked Questions About Sexual Harassment

What is sexual harassment?

What if the harasser is not my boss?

What if the harasser is the same gender as me?

Taking Action

Finding Support and Documenting the Harassment

Notifying Your Employer

Filing a Complaint with a Government Agency

Other Legal Issues

Arbitration Agreements

Non-Disclosure Agreements

Sample Letters and Forms

Sample Documentation Log

Sample Letter 1: First Notification

Sample Letter 2: Follow-up Letter

Sample Letter 3: Resignation Letter

How to Find a Lawyer

A Worker’s Toolkit: Taking Action Against Workplace Sexual Harassment [legalaidatwork.org](legalaidatwork.org) December 2024 Overview of Sexual Harassment Survivors’Employment Rights Toolkit As an employee in the United States, you have a right to work in an environment that is free from sexual harassment. Federal and state laws protect your right to report sexual harassment and have it remedied and prevented. Workers, regardless of immigration status, are protected by these laws. If you are experiencing workplace sexual harassment, you are not alone. This toolkit provides an explanation of what the law is, what your rights are, steps you can take to advocate for yourself, and a list of attorneys and organizations who provide free or low-cost legal help. If you experience sexual harassment in the workplace, it is a good idea to keep records of it and to report it to your employer in writing. At the end of this toolkit, we have provided a sample log form and letters that you can use to track and report sexual harassment in your workplace. | | If you have any questions about these resources, you can contact Legal Aid at Work’s Worker’s Rights Clinic at (888) 864-8335. | | --- | --- | Table of Contents I. Frequently Asked Questions About Sexual Harassment 1 ● What is sexual harassment? 2 ● What if the harasser is not my boss? 2 ● What if the harasser is the same gender as me? 3 ● What if the harassment did not occur at work? 3 ● What if the harassment is not directed at me? 3 ● What can I do if I think I am being sexually harassed? 4 ● Is my employer responsible for employee harassment or misconduct? 4 ● What if I quit because of the harassment? 5 ● What outcome am I looking for? 6 ● What if I still need more help? 6 ● What are my rights if I am undocumented? 7 ● What if I am fired, disciplined, or treated worse at work after complaining about sexual harassment? 8 II. Taking Action 9 ● Finding Support and Documenting the Harassment 11 ● Notifying Your Employer 12 ● Filing a Complaint with a Government Agency 13 ⃝ Where can I file a complaint? 13 ⃝ What is the process like? 15 ⃝ How long do I have to file? 17 III. Other Legal Issues 18 ● Arbitration Agreements 19 ● Non-Disclosure Agreements 21 IV. Sample Letters and Forms 23 ● Sample Documentation Log 24 ● Sample Letter 1: First Notification 26 ● Sample Letter 2: Follow-up Letter 37 ● Sample Letter 3: Resignation Letter 45 V. How to Find a Lawyer 58 I. Frequently Asked Questions About Sexual Harassment I. Frequently Asked Questions About Sexual Harassment What is sexual harassment? Sexual harassment is behavior that is unwelcome and happens to you because of your sex. Sexual harassment may take many forms: it does not have to be physical or motivated by sexual desire and can vary depending on the context. Unwanted sexual attention, such as proposals for sexual activity, often qualifies as sexual harassment. This conduct can include pressuring you for a date, making sexually suggestive jokes, innuendos, or comments, making comments about your body or sexual activity, requesting sexual acts or behaviors, displaying material that degrades women and/or is sexually explicit, leering, making lewd gestures, touching, grabbing, and other forms of sexual assault, and rape. Sexual harassment can also involve non-sexual conduct; this is sometimes known as sex or gender based harassment. Gender based harassment is when the harasser insults someone because of their sex or gender. Examples include gender-based insults (such as calling a woman a c--t or ab--ch), sexist comments (like that women belong in the kitchen rather than at work or that male nurses are not real men), or abusive behavior directed at members of one sex and not any other. Gender-based harassment also includes harassment based on pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions (for example, lactation, using or not using contracepti

FAQs

What counts as sexual harassment at work?

Sexual harassment is unwelcome behavior that happens because of your sex. It can include unwanted sexual attention, comments about your body or sexual activity, requests for sexual acts, and conduct ranging from leering or touching to other forms of sexual assault.

Do I still have protection if the harasser is not my boss?

Yes. The harasser does not need to be your supervisor. A harasser can be an employer, supervisor, co-worker, customer, client, or other third party.

What steps should I take if I think I am being sexually harassed?

Keep records of the harassment and report it to your employer in writing. The toolkit also provides sample documentation logs and sample letters to help you track and report what happened, and it explains how to seek government-agency complaint options.

Sep 17, 2026

Upload by Rowan