Sexual Harassment Attorney in East New York, NY
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East New York Sexual Harassment Lawyer
You’re not just dealing with inappropriate comments or unwanted advances. You’re watching your career crumble while wondering if speaking up will make everything worse. The stress follows you home. Your performance suffers. You start questioning whether you’re overreacting.
You’re not overreacting. And you’re not powerless.
Our clients walk away with compensation that reflects the real damage harassment causes—lost wages, missed promotions, and the emotional toll of working in a hostile environment. More importantly, they get their confidence back and often find better positions where they’re treated with respect.
Brooklyn Sexual Misconduct Attorney
For 20 years, attorney John Howley represented corporations like Pfizer and Citibank. He saw how they handle harassment claims. Now he uses that insider knowledge to fight for employees in East New York and throughout Brooklyn.
East New York’s diverse workforce faces unique challenges. Many of our clients are immigrants, women of color, or workers in industries where harassment is common but rarely reported. You might worry about your immigration status, your job security, or whether anyone will believe you.
We’ve heard it all before. And we’ve won cases for people in your exact situation—including an $800,000 settlement for a domestic worker and millions more for employees across every industry.
Sexual Assault Attorney Process
Your free consultation stays completely confidential. We listen to what happened, explain your legal options in plain English, and tell you honestly whether you have a strong case. No legal jargon, no pressure to decide immediately.
If you choose to move forward, we start building your case immediately. This means documenting everything, gathering evidence, and handling all communication with your employer’s lawyers. You focus on your job and your life while we focus on getting you justice.
Most cases settle without going to trial, which means you get compensated faster and avoid the stress of court proceedings. But if your employer won’t offer a fair settlement, we’re prepared to take your case all the way to trial. You pay nothing unless we win.
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Quid Pro Quo Attorney East New York
New York gives you more protection than almost any other state. While federal law only covers companies with 15+ employees, New York City law protects workers at businesses with just four employees. This means nearly every worker in East New York has legal recourse.
Recent studies show over 22% of New York workers face sexual harassment, with rates even higher for women of color and immigrants—populations that make up much of East New York’s workforce. The law recognizes these realities and provides real remedies.
You can recover lost wages, emotional distress damages, and punitive damages designed to punish serious misconduct. New York also requires employers to pay your attorney’s fees when you win, which means you keep more of your settlement while still getting experienced legal representation.
What exactly counts as sexual harassment in New York workplaces?
Sexual harassment includes any unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, or verbal and physical conduct of a sexual nature. This covers obvious behaviors like unwanted touching or explicit propositions, but also subtler forms like persistent comments about your appearance, sexual jokes that make you uncomfortable, or displaying inappropriate images.
New York recognizes two main types. Quid pro quo harassment occurs when job benefits depend on sexual compliance—like a supervisor demanding sexual favors for a promotion. Hostile work environment harassment happens when offensive conduct becomes severe or pervasive enough to interfere with your work performance or create an intimidating workplace.
You don’t need to prove you were fired or demoted to have a valid claim. The harassment itself can be enough if it significantly affects your work environment. And you don’t need to have explicitly objected at the time—the law understands that many people stay silent out of fear, especially when there’s a power imbalance.
How long do I have to file a sexual harassment lawsuit in New York?
New York gives you three years from the date of harassment to file a state law claim, which is much more generous than the federal deadline. However, if you want to pursue federal claims under Title VII, you must file with the EEOC within 300 days of the harassment occurring.
These deadlines can get complicated when harassment happens over time. Each incident might restart the clock, and different types of claims have different deadlines. Filing an internal complaint with your employer can also affect timing in certain situations.
Don’t wait to get legal advice, even if you think you’re close to a deadline. We often find ways to preserve your rights, and acting quickly usually leads to better outcomes. The sooner you start, the fresher the evidence and witness memories will be, which strengthens your case significantly.
Can my employer fire me for reporting sexual harassment?
Retaliation for reporting sexual harassment is illegal under both federal and New York law. If your employer fires, demotes, reduces your hours, or otherwise punishes you for filing a complaint or participating in an investigation, you have additional legal claims that often result in substantial compensation.
However, we understand your fear is real—many employers do try to retaliate despite the legal protections. This is exactly why having us represent you from the beginning often protects you. Employers are much less likely to retaliate when they know you have legal representation and we are documenting everything properly.
If retaliation does occur, we can take immediate legal action, including seeking emergency court orders to protect your job. Retaliation claims often result in significant additional compensation beyond what you’d receive for the original harassment, because courts take these violations very seriously.
What compensation can I get for workplace sexual harassment?
Sexual harassment victims in New York can recover multiple types of damages. Economic damages include lost wages, lost benefits, and future earning capacity if the harassment damaged your career prospects. You can also receive compensation for emotional distress, which recognizes the psychological impact harassment has on your life.
For particularly egregious conduct, you may be entitled to punitive damages designed to punish the wrongdoer and send a message to other potential harassers. These can be substantial—sometimes several times larger than your other damages.
New York law also requires employers to pay your attorney’s fees when you win, which means you keep more of your settlement. We’ve secured settlements ranging from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars, with the amount depending on factors like harassment severity, your salary level, career impact, and emotional distress suffered.
Do I have to report harassment to HR before I can sue?
While you’re not always legally required to report harassment internally before filing a lawsuit, doing so often strengthens your case and is usually advisable. When you follow your company’s complaint procedures, it creates documentation and gives your employer a chance to fix the problem—which can actually work in your favor.
However, there are important exceptions. If the harasser is the owner, CEO, or HR director, if you reasonably believe reporting would be futile, or if you have legitimate fears of severe retaliation, you may be able to proceed directly to court without internal reporting.
The decision should be made strategically with legal guidance. We can evaluate your specific situation, help you weigh the pros and cons, and develop a plan that maximizes your chances of success while protecting you from retaliation throughout the process.
How much does a sexual harassment lawyer cost in New York?
At The Howley Law Firm, we handle sexual harassment cases on a contingency fee basis, meaning you pay no attorney’s fees unless we win your case. This allows you to get experienced legal representation without any upfront costs or hourly billing that could reach thousands of dollars.
When we do win your case, our fee comes from the settlement or judgment, and New York law often requires the defendant to pay your attorney’s fees separately. This means you often keep your entire settlement while still getting top-quality legal representation from an attorney with over 30 years of experience.
We provide completely free initial consultations where we evaluate your case and explain all potential costs upfront. There are never hidden charges or surprise bills. You’ll know exactly what to expect before deciding whether to move forward, and you risk nothing by exploring your legal options.
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