Can You Sue Your Employer for Sexual Abuse in Pennsylvania?
A civil claim is separate from any criminal case. It lets you hold both the person who abused you and, in many cases, the employer that enabled or ignored it accountable, and recover compensation. You do not need a criminal conviction to pursue a claim. Workplace sexual abuse can give rise to several overlapping paths, including civil claims for assault and employment claims for sexual harassment under laws like Title VII and the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act. Which fits depends on the facts. Most adults spend much of their waking lives at work, dependent on their jobs for income, health insurance, and a career. That dependence is exactly what an abusive supervisor or coworker exploits, knowing a victim may fear losing everything by speaking up. Employers have a legal duty to maintain a workplace free of sexual abuse and harassment and to respond when they learn of it. When an employer protects a harasser, ignores complaints, or retaliates, the law gives you real leverage.Who Is Legally Responsible for Workplace Sexual Abuse?
The person who committed the abuse is responsible. But in many strong cases, the employer is also liable, and it usually has the insurance and resources to provide meaningful compensation. An employer can be held responsible when it was negligent or unlawful in ways such as:- Supervisor abuse: employers are often directly responsible when a supervisor uses their authority to harass or assault an employee.
- Ignoring complaints: failing to investigate or stop harassment after an employee reported it.
- Negligent hiring, supervision, and retention: employing or keeping a person despite complaints, a prior incident, or warning signs.
- Retaliation: firing, demoting, cutting hours, or punishing an employee who reported abuse.
- Failure to maintain a safe workplace: tolerating a culture where abuse was known and allowed to continue.
Types of Workplace Abuse We Handle
Survivors of Abuse PA represents workers across Pennsylvania in cases involving sexual abuse and assault on the job, including abuse by supervisors, coworkers, owners, customers, or clients that the employer enabled or ignored, across industries and including settings where workers are isolated, work alone, or depend heavily on a manager. Cases often involve quid-pro-quo abuse, assault at work or work events, and employers who punished the person who reported. If you are unsure whether what happened “counts,” it costs nothing to ask.How Long Do You Have to Act in Pennsylvania?
Workplace cases can involve short filing windows with government agencies, and Pennsylvania’s civil deadlines have changed in recent years; so the safest step is to confirm yours directly and act promptly. Harassment claims under federal and state law often require filing with an agency within a limited time, while civil assault claims follow other deadlines. Because some of these windows are short and easy to miss, we do not list a single number here. What matters is this: some workplace deadlines run quickly, so do not wait; even so, you may have more than one path. A free, confidential call with Ashley DiLiberto gives you a clear answer about your specific situation and any deadline: at no cost and no obligation.What to Do If You Experienced Workplace Abuse
Your safety comes first. If you are in immediate danger, call 911. You can report a sexual assault to local police, report harassment in writing to your employer or HR, and you may need to file with the EEOC or the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission to preserve certain claims, which is why early advice matters. Keep copies of emails, messages, complaints, and your personnel records. For free, confidential support 24/7, the RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline is available at 1-800-656-4673. When you are ready, an attorney can explain your options privately and at no cost.Compensation in a Workplace Abuse Case
Depending on the path, a claim can seek compensation for lost wages and benefits, therapy and counseling, medical care, emotional distress, pain and suffering, and, in some cases, additional damages intended to punish and deter the employer. Many cases also force employers to change how they handle complaints to protect other workers. Survivors of Abuse PA handles these cases on a contingency basis: there is no cost unless we win. Past results never guarantee a future outcome; each case is judged on its own facts.Frequently asked questions
Can you sue your employer for workplace sexual abuse in Pennsylvania?
Often, yes. Beyond the individual abuser, an employer can be liable when a supervisor used their authority to abuse you, when it ignored complaints, or when it retaliated against you for reporting. Workplace cases can involve both civil assault claims and harassment claims under laws like Title VII and the PA Human Relations Act.
What is the difference between sexual harassment and workplace sexual abuse?
Sexual harassment is an employment-law concept covering unwelcome sexual conduct that affects your job, while sexual abuse or assault is also a civil wrong and often a crime. Many situations involve both. An attorney can identify which claims fit and pursue every path available to you.
What if I was assaulted by my supervisor?
Employers are often directly responsible when a supervisor uses their authority to harass or assault an employee, especially where it affects your job. The power a supervisor holds over your income and career is central to these cases, and it can strengthen a claim against the employer.
My employer fired me after I reported — is that legal?
Retaliation against an employee for reporting sexual abuse or harassment is generally unlawful and can become a significant part of your case. Being fired, demoted, or having your hours cut after reporting is exactly the kind of conduct the law prohibits. Document everything and speak with an attorney.
Do I have to report to HR before I have a claim?
Reporting can matter for some employment claims, but you do not necessarily lose your rights if you did not report internally, and a civil assault claim does not depend on it. Because the rules differ by claim, it is best to talk to an attorney about how to protect every option.
Do I have to file with the EEOC or a state agency?
Certain harassment claims under federal and Pennsylvania law require filing with an agency like the EEOC or the PA Human Relations Commission within a limited time before you can sue. These windows can be short, which is why getting advice promptly is important. An attorney can handle the filings.
Can I bring a claim if the abuser was a customer or client, not a coworker?
Potentially, yes. An employer can be responsible for failing to protect you from known abusive customers, clients, or third parties, particularly where you were required to work with or near them. The question is what the employer knew and whether it acted reasonably.
How long do I have to bring a workplace abuse claim in Pennsylvania?
It depends on the path — agency filing windows for harassment claims can be short, while civil assault claims follow other deadlines, and Pennsylvania's rules have changed in recent years. Because some windows run quickly and are easy to miss, the safest step is a prompt, free, confidential call to confirm yours.
Will my workplace abuse case be kept private?
Your first conversation is confidential, and protecting your privacy is a priority throughout. Many of these cases proceed with privacy protections, and many settlements are confidential. You share only what you are comfortable with, at your own pace, with a trauma-informed attorney.
How much does a workplace abuse lawyer cost?
Nothing up front. These cases are handled on contingency — no fee unless we win — and the consultation is free and confidential. You should never have to pay out of pocket to find out whether you have a case.
What type of lawyer handles workplace sexual abuse cases?
These are handled by an attorney experienced in both sexual-abuse litigation and employment claims against employers. Ashley B. DiLiberto, Esq. is a Pennsylvania sexual-abuse lawyer and Partner at Messa & Associates whose record includes a leadership role in the $2.46 billion Boy Scouts of America settlement. Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Serving sexual abuse survivors across Pennsylvania
Ashley DiLiberto represents survivors statewide. Explore help in your area:
