When you show up to work in Massachusetts, chances are, your objective is to get your job done and then get back to the things you truly enjoy. When you are a victim of workplace sexual harassment, however, the trickle-down effects can prove considerable, and they can affect your emotions and overall well-being both inside and out of the workplace. Regrettably, workplace sexual harassment is not at all uncommon in America, but that does not necessarily mean it is easy for victims of this type of behavior to come forward.

Per USA Today, there are several steps you may want to consider taking if you are experiencing sexual harassment at your place of business. Arguably one of the most important things you can do is act quickly. Why? First, there may be statute of limitations laws that dictate exactly how long you have to make a case against your employer or colleague. Second, the sooner you respond to your aggressor’s actions, the greater your chances of being able to compile strong evidence against that person.

Another important step to take as a victim of workplace sexual harassment involves closely tracking all instances of harassment you experienced. The more detail you can provide about specific incidents in terms of dates, times, exact things said or done and so on, the stronger your case typically becomes.

Once you have documented the harassment you suffered at work, you will want to decide how to proceed with reporting it. You may decide to work through your employer’s human resources department, but if so, recognize that doing so is different from making a legal claim. In other words, if you only report the harassment to your human resources department and the statute of limitations for filing a legal claim passes you by, you will not have legal recourse.

This copy is informational in nature and is not a substitute for legal advice.