Chicago Lawyer Accused of Harassing Employee, Asking Her to Wear Swimsuit to the Office

Attorney Paul Weiss, a Chicago class-action attorney, is facing new allegations that he sexually harassed employees working at his firm.  Several months ago Mr. Weiss faced charges  arising out of his alleged sexual harassment of six women employees, including a charge that he pulled down his pants in front of two different female employees.  The Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission says in an amended complaint, that after a young female attorney was hired, Mr. Weiss began making comments about her appearance and suggested that she wear a swimsuit to the office.

The complaint alleges that the associate resigned because Weiss made "constant and intolerable" comments to her.  Weiss continues to deny the allegations and claims that these allegations were made up because the associate was about to be fired.

In 1980, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission produced a set of guidelines for defining sexual harassment in the workplace.  One definition of sexual harassment involves unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, or other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature that has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual's work performance or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work environment. 

Lawyers who litigate sexual harassment claims agree that compliance with the law simply boils down to one word:  respect.  If the culture of the workplace is one where everyone respects the feelings of other people, sexual harassment claims usually do not develop.