The #MeToo movement began in 2017 as women in Texas and throughout the country started to share their experiences with sexual harassment. A survey of 1,023 employed adults throughout the United States was conducted by The Harris Poll on behalf of CareerArc. The survey wanted to learn more about how workers felt about the impact of the #MeToo movement as it relates to how sexual harassment is handled in their workplaces.

According to the poll, 76% of respondents said that it had a positive impact on how sexual harassment is dealt with by their employer. Furthermore, 74% of respondents said that the movement resulted in fewer instances of sexual harassment at work. Of those who replied, 68% said that the movement gave them the courage to speak up about their own experiences. While progress has been made to help workers feel safer on the job, many say that more needs to be done.

Of those who provided their opinions, 77% said that sexual harassment still occurs too frequently at work. Furthermore, only 31% said that their HR departments have made it easy or safe to come to them with their concerns. Among male respondents, 53% said that the movement has eroded trust between HR departments and employees. However, only 36% of women surveyed shared that same sentiment.

State and federal laws generally prohibit any type of workplace harassment from occurring. Those who believe that they have been mistreated because of their gender or sexual orientation may want to discuss the matter with an attorney. Doing so may make it easier to determine if any laws were broken and how to go about pursuing compensation or other forms of relief. In some cases, it may be possible to obtain a favorable outcome without the need for a formal trial.