Harassment in the workplace can be difficult to identify. It can show up as a casual invitation for drinks, a hand on the shoulder during a late meeting, or a text message that goes too far. Sometimes, it turns into so-called relationships between a supervisor and a subordinate. These may seem consensual, but they are often shaped by fear, silence, and unequal power.
“People tell me, ‘But she agreed,’” said William K. Phillips, founder and managing partner of Phillips & Associates, one of the largest plaintiff-side employment law firms in New York and New Jersey. “When your boss controls your paycheck, promotions, and career, there’s no such thing as equal footing. That’s not romance. That’s coercion.”
The risks for victims are serious. When people speak up, they often face retaliation, such as losing out on promotions, being reassigned to different projects, or even losing their jobs.
According to Phillips, this pattern is evident everywhere, from large corporate boardrooms to small businesses: those in power remain silent at the top, while fear keeps others quiet below.
Phillips’ path to employment law was unconventional. Before establishing his firm, he built a career in the private sector, managing complex financial transactions and entrepreneurial ventures that required significant personal investment and risk.
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