Sexual Harassment Attorney Gerritsen Beach
Stop Workplace Harassment. Protect Your Future.
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Brooklyn Sexual Harassment Cases
You shouldn’t have to choose between your job and your dignity. Sexual harassment cases aren’t just about what happened—they’re about reclaiming your professional future and ensuring it doesn’t happen to others.
The right legal action can secure compensation for lost wages, emotional distress, and career damage while holding your employer accountable. More importantly, it can restore your confidence and give you back control over your work environment.
When we handle your case properly, you get justice and the financial resources to move forward, whether that means staying and creating change or finding a better opportunity elsewhere.
Gerritsen Beach Employment Lawyer
We bring 30+ years of experience to Gerritsen Beach residents facing workplace harassment. John Howley spent two decades representing Fortune 500 companies like Pfizer and Citibank before switching sides to defend employees.
This isn’t a typical neighborhood law practice. We’ve argued in the U.S. Supreme Court and secured an $80 million discrimination settlement. But we also understand that in a tight-knit community like Gerritsen Beach, your reputation matters as much as your case outcome.
We’ve been serving Brooklyn’s working families for years, handling everything from individual harassment cases to major class actions, always with the same commitment to protecting both your legal rights and your standing in the community.
Sexual Harassment Legal Process
First, we meet for a free consultation where you tell us what happened without any pressure or judgment. We’ll explain your legal options clearly and help you understand the potential outcomes, timelines, and what to expect.
If you decide to move forward, we immediately begin building your case. This means documenting everything, gathering evidence, and often coaching you on how to protect yourself while still employed. We handle all communications with your employer and their lawyers.
Throughout the process, we keep you informed and involved in every major decision. Most cases settle out of court, but we’re always prepared for trial. You pay nothing unless we win, and we work to resolve your case as efficiently as possible while maximizing your recovery.
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NYC Sexual Harassment Law
Your sexual harassment case covers more than just the incidents themselves. We pursue compensation for lost wages, missed promotions, emotional distress, and damage to your career prospects. In serious cases, punitive damages send a clear message to your employer.
New York’s laws are particularly strong for harassment victims, especially in NYC where the Human Rights Law provides broader protections than federal statutes. This means we can often build cases that wouldn’t be viable in other states.
For Gerritsen Beach residents, we understand the added complexity of working in a community where everyone knows everyone. We handle cases with complete discretion and work to protect your privacy throughout the process while still achieving the justice and compensation you deserve.
What should I do if I'm being sexually harassed at work right now?
Document everything immediately. Write down dates, times, locations, witnesses, and exactly what was said or done. Save any text messages, emails, or other evidence. Don’t delete anything, even if it seems unrelated.
Report the harassment to your employer in writing if you feel safe doing so, but call us first. Many people make critical mistakes in how they report harassment that can hurt their case later. We can coach you through the reporting process to protect your legal rights while potentially stopping the harassment.
If the harassment is severe or you feel unsafe, you may need to take immediate action like requesting a transfer or taking leave. We can help you understand your options and ensure you don’t accidentally harm your case while protecting yourself.
How long do I have to file a sexual harassment claim in New York?
You typically have 180 days to file with the EEOC and up to three years to file under New York State law, but these deadlines can be tricky. The clock usually starts ticking from the last incident of harassment, but continuing harassment can extend these deadlines.
Different types of claims have different deadlines, and there are exceptions that can extend or shorten your time to file. For instance, if you’re also claiming retaliation or wrongful termination, those may have different time limits.
Don’t wait to consult with an attorney. Even if you’re not sure you want to file a claim, understanding your deadlines and options early gives you more control over the situation. We offer free consultations to help you understand exactly where you stand legally.
Will my employer be able to fire me if I report sexual harassment?
It’s illegal for your employer to retaliate against you for reporting sexual harassment, but that doesn’t mean it won’t happen. Retaliation can include firing, demotion, reduced hours, negative reviews, or making your work environment even more hostile.
The key is documenting everything and reporting harassment properly. When done correctly, reporting harassment actually provides you with additional legal protections. If your employer does retaliate, that becomes a separate legal claim that can significantly increase your potential compensation.
We often work with clients who are still employed, helping them navigate the reporting process while building a strong case. Our goal is to stop the harassment and protect your job, but if retaliation occurs, we’re prepared to hold your employer accountable for that as well.
How much is my sexual harassment case worth?
Case values depend on several factors: the severity and frequency of harassment, how it affected your work and career, any lost wages or missed opportunities, and the emotional impact. We’ve secured settlements ranging from thousands to millions of dollars.
Economic damages include lost wages, missed promotions, and future earning capacity. Non-economic damages cover emotional distress, pain and suffering, and damage to your reputation. In cases involving particularly egregious conduct, punitive damages may also be available.
New York law allows for broad recovery in harassment cases, including attorney’s fees in many situations. During your free consultation, we can give you a realistic assessment of your case’s potential value based on the specific facts and our experience with similar cases.
Do I need to have witnesses to prove my sexual harassment case?
While witnesses can strengthen your case, they’re not always necessary. Many harassment incidents happen in private, and harassers are often careful to avoid witnesses. What matters most is building a credible, well-documented case through multiple types of evidence.
Text messages, emails, voicemails, and your own detailed contemporaneous notes can be powerful evidence. Patterns of behavior, similar treatment of other employees, and your employer’s response (or lack thereof) to complaints also matter significantly.
We’ve won cases with limited witness testimony by focusing on documentary evidence and expert testimony about the effects of harassment. The key is preserving evidence early and building your case strategically from the beginning.
What happens if I sign a non-disclosure agreement about my harassment case?
Non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) in harassment settlements are increasingly restricted under New York law. As of 2018, employers cannot require NDAs as a condition of settlement unless the victim specifically requests confidentiality after being informed of their right to speak publicly.
If you’ve already signed an NDA, it may not be enforceable depending on when and how it was signed. New York law has evolved significantly to protect harassment victims’ rights to speak about their experiences and warn others.
We review all settlement agreements carefully to ensure they comply with current law and truly serve your interests. Sometimes confidentiality benefits you, but it should always be your choice, not something forced upon you as the price of justice.
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