GetLegal.com reports that Janet Bianco, a 55 year old nurse, was awarded 15 million dollars for her sexual harassment claim against a doctor at Flushing Hospital in Queens, New York – making the award the largest sexual harassment judgment to ever be awarded to an individual in a New York state court.

Janet Bianco, who worked at Flushing Hospital from 1993-2005, endured several years of unwanted sexual jokes, propositions and groping from a doctor who worked at the hospital. The harassment eventually escalated to two sexual assaults against Bianco in 2001. According to a medical expert who testified at trial, Bianco now suffers from post traumatic stress disorder, anxiety and depression as a result of the prolonged harassment

Bianco certainly was not the only employee at Flushing Hospital to fall victim to sexual harassment. Employees at Flushing Hospital worked in an environment where dirty comments, unwanted advances and abusive conversations were not only tolerated, but were accepted by persons in positions of power who refused to confront the behavior.

This landmark case should serve as a warning to employers who refuse to provide training or enforcement for violations of sexual harassment policies. The jury sent a simple yet strong message with its verdict: employer tolerance and indifference to sexually harassing behavior in the workplace is completely unacceptable.

Victims of sexual harassment do not need to endure this type of behavior in the workplace. According to Ms. Bianco in a statement on Monday: “Make sure you speak out and complain – you don’t have to allow yourself to be a victim.”

The Attorneys at Leeds, Morelli & Brown, P.C. represented Ms. Bianco in this case. Ms. Bianco’s success exemplifies the quality and passion of the attorneys at Leeds, Morelli & Brown, P.C., who are dedicated to seeking justice for their clients. If you or someone you know has been a victim of sexual harassment or discrimination in the workplace, contact an attorney at Leeds, Morelli & Brown, P.C. for a free consultation at 1-800-585-4658, or visit www.lmblaw.com.