Your supervisor sends you a flirty message on Slack after work hours. A coworker posts an inappropriate meme in your Teams group chat. Someone keeps asking you out through direct messages even after you say no.
These situations happen more often than you might think. Digital harassment occurs in workplaces across California every day. This is why it is crucial to know the signs and to arm yourself with the knowledge of how to advocate for your rights.
Digital harassment takes many forms
Unwelcome sexual behavior can happen through any workplace platform, be it email, Zoom, or on Slack. Common examples include:
- Inappropriate messages: Someone sends you unwanted romantic or sexual messages through direct chats
- Visual content: Coworkers share explicit images, GIFs or memes with sexual themes
- Appearance comments: People make remarks about your body or clothing during video calls or in messages
- Persistent advances: Someone keeps asking you out or making sexual comments after you say no
- Sexual jokes: Team members post content with sexual themes in shared channels
California law protects you from this behavior just like it protects you from harassment that happens in person.
Protecting yourself in digital spaces
You can take specific actions to document and address digital harassment. Take these steps which can help you pursue justice:
- Save all messages and communications immediately
- Take screenshots with visible dates and times
- Report the behavior through your company’s established channels
- Keep a written log of incidents with details about what happened
- Avoid deleting messages even if they make you uncomfortable
Digital messages create proof of what happened. This proof can help your case. Workers who face harassment through workplace apps and messaging platforms have rights under California law. Talking to someone who understands employment law might help you figure out what to do next and what options you have.