If you are being sexually harassed at work in Fort Lauderdale or anywhere in Broward County, here is the short answer: sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination, it is against both federal and Florida law, and you do not have to quit your job to do something about it. WLT Law Firm represents employees — never employers — across Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties. Consultations are free and confidential.
What Counts as Sexual Harassment at Work
Sexual harassment is unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that affects your job or makes your workplace intimidating, offensive or abusive. It is prohibited by Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and by the Florida Civil Rights Act, Fla. Stat. § 760.10. It generally takes one of two forms:
- Quid pro quo — a raise, a promotion, a shift, or keeping your job is tied to sexual favors.
- Hostile work environment — the conduct is severe enough, or happens often enough, that it makes the workplace abusive. A single serious incident can be enough; so can a pattern of smaller ones.
It does not have to be physical. Comments, jokes, texts, emails, images, gestures and repeated unwanted attention all count. It also does not matter whether the harasser and the person being harassed are the same sex.
Who Is Responsible — a Supervisor, a Coworker, or a Customer
This is the question most people get wrong, and it changes what happens next.
- A supervisor, where something concrete happened — you were fired, demoted, reassigned or lost pay. The employer is generally responsible for that.
- A supervisor, where nothing concrete happened — the employer may still be responsible, but it can defend itself by showing it had a real complaint process and that you did not use it without good reason. This is why reporting, when it is safe to do so, matters so much.
- A coworker, a client, a vendor or a customer — the employer is responsible if it knew, or should have known, and failed to do something about it. Putting the employer on notice is what starts that clock.
If you reported harassment and your employer did nothing, that inaction is often as important as the harassment itself.
When Harassment Crosses Into Assault
Groping, forced touching, threats and stalking can be crimes in Florida as well as workplace violations. Those are two separate tracks: a police report is a criminal matter, and a harassment claim is a civil and employment matter. One does not replace the other, and you do not need a criminal charge to have an employment claim. You can pursue the workplace claim whether or not anyone is ever arrested.
The Law That Protects You — and a Broward Rule Most People Miss
Title VII and the Florida Civil Rights Act generally cover employers with 15 or more employees. That leaves a lot of people at small companies believing they have no options. In Broward County, that is often not true.
The Broward County Human Rights Section accepts employment discrimination complaints based on sex, race, color, religion, national origin, age, disability and pregnancy against employers with 5 to 14 employees — and complaints based on sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status and political affiliation regardless of employer size. If you work for a small Broward business and were told you are too small to be covered, that may not be the end of it. Filing windows apply, so contact the Human Rights Section at 954-357-6500, or speak with an attorney, before you assume a deadline has passed.
Deadlines That Matter
- 300 days to file a charge with the EEOC. See the EEOC’s own time limits for filing a charge.
- 365 days to file with the Florida Commission on Human Relations. The EEOC and the FCHR are two different agencies with two different deadlines — do not treat them as one.
- 90 days to file a lawsuit after the EEOC issues a Notice of Right to Sue.
Florida also changed how the deadline to file an FCRA lawsuit is calculated for claims arising on or after July 1, 2026. That is one more reason to get advice early rather than late.
What You Can Recover
Depending on the claim, a sexual harassment case can seek back pay, front pay, compensation for emotional harm, and attorney’s fees. Punitive damages are available in some circumstances. What any individual case is worth depends entirely on its own facts, and anyone who tells you otherwise before hearing them is guessing.
Talk to a Fort Lauderdale Sexual Harassment Lawyer
WLT Law Firm is an employee-side employment firm based in Plantation, serving Fort Lauderdale and Broward County. Attorney Walwin “Wali” Taylor has been admitted to The Florida Bar since 2015 and represents employees in sexual harassment, discrimination and retaliation matters across Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties. This firm represents employees, not employers.
📞 Call 954-905-9863 or 866-GET-WALI (866-438-9254)
📧 Email help@wltlegal.com
📍 261 N. University Drive, Suite 500, Plantation, FL 33324
Consultations are free and confidential. If you are not sure whether what happened to you counts, that is a good reason to call, not a reason to wait.
Related reading: steps to take after sexual harassment at work · what counts as sexual harassment at work in Florida · signs of a hostile work environment · workplace retaliation in Florida
Sexual Harassment FAQs
Is it worth suing for sexual harassment?
That depends on what happened, what it cost you, and how much of it can be documented — and it is exactly what a free consultation is for. Some people want the harassment stopped or their job protected. Others are dealing with lost income, or a resignation they felt forced into. The law lets you ask for the things listed above, but no honest lawyer can tell you at the outset what any individual case will be worth. A consultation costs nothing and gives you a realistic picture before you decide anything.
My employer has fewer than 15 employees. Do I have any options in Broward County?
Possibly. Title VII and the Florida Civil Rights Act generally cover employers with 15 or more employees. Broward County’s Human Rights Section takes employment discrimination complaints based on sex, race, color, religion, national origin, age, disability and pregnancy against employers with 5 to 14 employees — and complaints based on sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status and political affiliation regardless of how many people the employer has. If you were told your employer is too small to be covered, it is worth checking.
What should I do if I am being sexually harassed at work?
Write down what happened, when, and who saw it, and save anything in writing — emails, texts, messages, schedules. Report the behavior through your employer’s policy, usually to HR or a supervisor who is not the person harassing you. Then talk to an attorney about your rights and your deadlines.
Is there a time limit for filing a claim in Florida?
Yes, and there is more than one. You generally have 300 days to file with the EEOC and 365 days to file with the Florida Commission on Human Relations. If the EEOC issues you a Notice of Right to Sue, you then have 90 days to file a lawsuit. These are strict.
Do I need to quit my job before filing a complaint?
No. You are not required to resign to bring a claim, and quitting can affect what you are able to recover. Talk to an attorney before making that decision.
Can my employer fire me for reporting harassment?
Not lawfully. Federal and Florida law prohibit an employer from punishing you for reporting harassment in good faith. That does not mean it never happens — it means that if it does, the retaliation may be a separate claim. Retaliation can look like firing, demotion, a cut in hours or pay, a worse shift, or a sudden change in how you are treated.
What can I recover in a sexual harassment case?
Depending on the claim, that can include back pay, front pay, compensation for emotional harm, and attorney’s fees. Punitive damages are available in some cases but not most. What any individual case is worth depends on its own facts.
Can I bring a claim if the harassment happened outside the office?
Often, yes. If the conduct is connected to your employment — a company event, a work trip, a client dinner, or messages sent after hours by a coworker or manager — it can still support a claim.
How much does it cost to hire a sexual harassment attorney?
The consultation is free and confidential. WLT Law Firm will explain the fee arrangement before you agree to anything, and in many employment cases the law allows attorney’s fees to be recovered from the employer. You will know how fees work before you decide.
By Walwin Taylor · Last reviewed September 9, 2026
This page is general information about Florida and federal employment law, not legal advice, and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Every situation is different — speak with a qualified attorney about your specific circumstances.