Pittsburgh Workplace Sexual Assault Lawyer
If you've experienced sexual assault at work, you may be dealing with confusion, anger, and uncertainty about what comes next. Workplace sexual assault is more than a violation of personal boundaries. It's a violation of the law.
Federal and state statutes protect employees from sexual misconduct at work, and when employers fail to prevent it or respond appropriately, they can be held legally accountable.
Pennsylvania law gives workers real legal protections. A Pittsburgh workplace sexual assault lawyer at Greenberg Gross can help you understand your options and pursue justice. We offer a free consultation, so you can speak with our team without any financial pressure or obligation. Call (412) 755-9500 to get started.
What Counts as Workplace Sexual Assault?
Workplace sexual assault refers to any unwanted sexual contact or conduct that occurs in a work setting or in connection with employment. This includes physical assault, coercion, and situations where a person's job status is tied to sexual demands.
Sexual assault in the workplace is often confused with sexual harassment, but the two aren't identical. Here's how they differ and what each term means:
- Sexual assault involves unwanted physical contact of a sexual nature, including groping, fondling, or rape. It's both a civil wrong and a criminal act.
- Sexual harassment is a broader category that includes unwanted sexual comments, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature. It doesn't always involve physical contact.
- Quid pro quo harassment happens when a supervisor conditions job benefits, like a raise or promotion, on an employee's willingness to comply with sexual demands.
- Hostile work environment refers to a workplace so permeated with sexual misconduct that it alters the conditions of employment. Our Pittsburgh hostile work environment lawyer team knows how to document these situations and build strong claims.
- Employer liability means a company can be held legally responsible for assault or harassment carried out by supervisors, managers, or even coworkers in certain situations.
What Pennsylvania Law Says About Workplace Sexual Misconduct
Pennsylvania workers have protections at both the state and federal level. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits sexual harassment in workplaces with 15 or more employees. The Pennsylvania Human Relations Act extends similar protections to smaller employers.
When sexual assault occurs at work, victims can pursue both civil and criminal remedies. A civil claim doesn't replace a criminal prosecution, but it gives you the ability to seek compensation for what you've lost, including lost income, medical and psychological care costs, pain and suffering, and more.
A Pennsylvania workplace sexual misconduct attorney at our firm can walk you through both paths and help you decide what makes sense for your situation.
One Important Deadline to Know
In Pennsylvania, you generally have 300 days to file a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) if you plan to bring a federal claim. For state claims under the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act, that window is typically 180 days.
Missing these deadlines can eliminate your legal options, so you must act promptly.
How Greenberg Gross Approaches These Cases
We don't treat these cases like paperwork. We know that behind every file is a person whose professional life, sense of safety, and physical and psychological wellbeing were damaged.
Our team takes the time to listen to what happened, answer your questions honestly, and develop a legal strategy built around your specific circumstances.
Our attorneys are knowledgeable about the full range of workplace sexual misconduct claims and are focused on holding employers and individuals accountable when they've caused harm.
We're skilled at investigating workplace environments, gathering evidence, working with witnesses, and building cases that stand up to scrutiny, whether in mediation or in the courtroom.
Pittsburgh workers dealing with assault in industries like healthcare, hospitality, retail, and construction have turned to our firm for guidance. We understand how these industries operate, what employment contracts typically contain, and how HR departments and management chains respond when misconduct is reported or ignored.
What the Legal Process Looks Like
For many people, the legal process is unfamiliar territory. A workplace sexual assault civil claim typically moves through several stages. Knowing what to expect can make the path forward feel less uncertain. Here's a general overview of how these cases tend to unfold.
The Free Consultation
Your first step is a conversation with our team, at no cost to you. We'll listen to your account carefully, ask questions to better understand what happened, and give you an honest assessment of your legal options.
You won't feel pressured to make any decisions during that meeting. Our goal is simply to make sure you have the information you need.
Investigation and Evidence Gathering
If you decide to move forward, we'll begin building your case. This stage involves collecting and reviewing a wide range of materials, including:
- Emails, text messages, or other communications related to the assault or its aftermath
- HR reports, complaint records, and internal investigation documents
- Performance reviews, which can reveal patterns of retaliation or employer bias
- Surveillance footage or incident reports, where available
- Witness accounts from coworkers or others who observed relevant conduct
The goal is to establish a clear, documented record of what happened and how your employer responded or failed to respond.
Filing with the Appropriate Agency
Before filing a lawsuit in court, most workplace sexual misconduct claims must go through an administrative filing process. Depending on which laws apply to your situation, your claim may be filed with:
- The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), which handles federal claims under Title VII
- The Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission (PHRC), which handles state-level claims under the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act
These agencies may attempt to mediate a resolution between you and your employer. If mediation doesn't result in a settlement, the agency will issue a right-to-sue letter, which formally authorizes you to file a lawsuit in court.
Litigation and Discovery
Once a lawsuit is filed, the case enters the discovery phase. Both sides exchange evidence, take depositions, and build their arguments. This stage can take months, depending on the complexity of the case and the court's schedule.
Cases filed in venues like the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania or the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas follow structured timelines. Our team knows how to move your case forward efficiently within those systems.
Settlement or Trial
Many workplace sexual assault cases resolve through a negotiated settlement before reaching trial. A fair settlement can deliver meaningful compensation without the uncertainty of a courtroom. However, some cases do go before a judge or jury, and we prepare every case with that possibility in mind. That level of preparation often produces stronger settlements and better results at every stage.
Throughout this entire process, we keep you informed. You'll never be left wondering what's happening with your case or what comes next.
Why Reporting Is Hard, and Why It Still Makes Sense
Many survivors of workplace sexual assault don't report what happened. Some worry about losing their job. Others fear they won't be believed, or that the process will expose them to further harm. These concerns are understandable, and we take them seriously.
Retaliation against employees who report sexual misconduct is illegal under both federal and state law. If your employer punishes you for coming forward, whether through demotion, termination, schedule changes, or a hostile shift in workplace treatment, that retaliation may itself be a separate legal claim.
As a Pittsburgh employee rights sexual assault lawyer team, we've seen what retaliation looks like and how to document it. You don't have to absorb the consequences of someone else's wrongdoing silently.
What Compensation May Be Available
When workplace sexual assault causes real harm, the law provides avenues to seek financial recovery for what you've lost and what you've endured. The types and amounts of compensation available depend on the specific facts of your case, but here's a breakdown of what may be on the table.
Economic Damages
These cover the financial losses you can document directly:
- Lost wages, including income you missed while dealing with the assault, recovering, or navigating legal proceedings
- Lost future earning capacity, if the assault affected your ability to continue in your career or field
- Medical expenses, covering emergency care, ongoing physical treatment, and any costs tied directly to the incident
- Therapy and mental health care, because psychological recovery is just as real and just as costly as physical recovery
Non-Economic Damages
Not every loss shows up on a bank statement. Non-economic damages account for the personal harm that doesn't come with a receipt:
- Pain and suffering, which reflects the physical discomfort and emotional distress caused by the assault
- Emotional anguish, including anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress, and the disruption to your daily life and relationships
- Loss of enjoyment of life, when the assault affects your ability to engage with work, relationships, and activities that once mattered to you
Punitive Damages
In cases where an employer's conduct was especially reckless, deliberate, or grossly negligent, a court may award punitive damages. These aren't tied to your specific losses. Instead, they're designed to punish serious wrongdoing and discourage similar behavior in the future.
No attorney can promise a specific outcome, and every case is different. What our team can promise is an honest evaluation of what your claim may be worth and a focused effort to pursue every dollar you're entitled to.
Frequently Asked Questions About Workplace Sexual Assault in Pittsburgh
Can I sue my employer if a coworker sexually assaulted me at work?
Yes, in many situations you can. Employers have a legal duty to maintain a workplace free from sexual misconduct. If your employer knew or should have known about the risk and failed to act, they can be held liable. Our team can evaluate the specific circumstances and determine whether your employer shares legal responsibility.
How long do I have to file a workplace sexual assault claim in Pennsylvania?
For federal claims under Title VII, you generally have 300 days from the date of the incident to file with the EEOC. For claims under the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act, the window is typically 180 days. These deadlines are firm, so contacting an attorney promptly helps protect your options.
What if I already reported the assault to HR and nothing happened?
An inadequate or dismissive HR response can actually strengthen your legal claim. It may show that your employer had notice of the problem and failed to address it. Document everything HR told you, keep any written communications, and contact our team to discuss what that response means for your case.
Does my employer have to know about the assault for me to have a claim?
Not always. In cases involving supervisors, employers are often held directly liable without needing to prove they knew. For coworker assaults, you generally need to show the employer knew or should have known and didn't take reasonable steps to stop it. A Pittsburgh workplace sexual assault lawyer at our firm can help you evaluate which standard applies.
Will I have to go to court?
Many workplace sexual misconduct cases resolve through settlement before trial. However, some cases do go to court, and we prepare every case as if it will. That preparation often leads to better settlements and stronger outcomes when litigation is necessary.
Talk to Greenberg Gross Today
Sexual assault at work leaves real damage. It affects how you feel at your job, how you sleep, how you relate to coworkers, and, sometimes, whether you can keep working in your field at all. Greenberg Gross stands with workers in Pittsburgh, from Oakland to the North Shore, who are ready to take legal action and demand accountability.
Our team is skilled, focused, and committed to advocating for you at every step. We've helped employees across Allegheny County confront powerful employers and pursue the outcomes they deserve.
Working with a knowledgeable Pittsburgh workplace sexual harassment attorney at our firm means you won't have to figure this out alone.
Contact Greenberg Gross at (412) 755-9500 today to schedule your free consultation. There's no cost to speak with us, and no obligation to move forward until you're ready. What happened to you was wrong. Let us help you do something about it.