Meredith Holley - Career Defense 101

Having experienced sexual harassment as a woman in more than one job I was left feeling hopeless, ashamed and wondering if I was doing something to attract this unwanted attention. I felt powerless against the people in positions of power perpetrating the harassment and would either ignore it hoping it would go away or I would quit. Every night I would weigh the toll it was taking on my mental health against the cost of feeding my child and financially supporting our home. Ignoring the behavior just led to escalation and quitting the job did not alleviate the stress only added to it as now I was starting at square one with a new company. I wish I had read Career Defense 101 in my early 20s. Meredith Holley gives an easy to understand, intuitive and smart defense strategy to protect your career, integrity and mental health. She provides tangible examples, writing exercises and worksheets that put you in the driver seat rather than a passenger. You will walk away with a better grasp of the law and how it pertains to your situation, how to construct a support network, confronting your harasser (or not) and an action plan you can feel empowered by. A must read for all!

~Jennifer Tinsley, Administrative Assistant,
Lane County Government

There are plenty of books about sexual harassment and the legal claims involved. What Meredith Holley adds to that literature is an empowering roadmap to creating a life of success and meaning no matter what kind of harassment you are experiencing. All too often the true cost of sexual harassment is that women give up on themselves and their careers. This book covers the legal angles but more importantly it teaches women how to empower themselves to deal with harassment and to create thriving lives and careers not in spite of it, but because of it. A must-read for anyone experiencing harassment at work or anywhere else.

~Kara Loewentheil , J.D., M.C.C., host of the UnF*ck Your Brain Podcast and creator of UnF*ck Your Brain: A Feminist Blueprint for Creating Confidence, New York, NY

The stories of real life women, the situations they experience, and how Meredith helped them will help you understand you are not alone if you experience harassment or assault in the workplace and - perhaps most importantly - that there are resources available to you. The book aides in demystifying how the law can be used in harassment/assault situations. Lawsuits, cease and desist - just the word the law in general - can feel overwhelming and daunting but Meredith breaks down the pros and cons of legal action in laymans terms. Even if you havent experienced harassment in the workplace, this is a valuable read for anyone in the workplace. It can guide your supporters and allies - and even your adversaries - in understanding your approach when defending your career from a blow like harassment or assault.

~Kira OConnor , J.D., Public Policy Programs, EMEA,
Instagram London, United Kingdom

Merediths stories are relatable, the strategies are tough assignments and the work is certain to be a game changer for those who wish to beat the odds and improve their lives.

~Judy , Secondary Survivor

EVERYONE should read Meredith Holleys Career Defense 101: the person experiencing harassment in their place of work, someone who wants to expand their knowledge of what others go through, and those that want to be allies for friends and colleagues going through this difficult thing in their life. Everyone has something to learn from this book. When reading, it feels like you are sitting down with an old friend for coffee and coming up with a plan for your life. She brings a difficult topic down to a level that is encouraging and practical. She lets you know it isnt always easy addressing sexual harassment in your own life, but it is possible, and things can be better.

~Lucy Durst , Deputy District Attorney
Jackson County Oregon

What sets Meredith Holleys work apart from other self-help books for women facing harassment in the workplace is that it provides a truly valuable set of tools to empower women to take remedial action. Ms. Holley demystifies the law, giving candid and thoughtful advice about the obstacles posed by a patriarchal legal system that favors male harassers over women. She teaches with both compassion and humor, using real world examples and powerful analogies. This uplifting book is a must-read not just for women who struggle with sexual harassment, but for anyone entering the workplace and searching for fulfillment in their careers.

~Leslie OLeary , Attorney
Eugene, Oregon

How To Stop Sexual Harassment
Without Quitting Your Job

MEREDITH HOLLEY

NEW YORK

LONDONNASHVILLEMELBOURNEVANCOUVER

Career Defense 101

How to Stop Sexual Harassment Without Quitting Your Job

2019 Meredith Holley

All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meanselectronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, scanning, or otherexcept for brief quotations in critical reviews or articles, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

Published in New York, New York, by Morgan James Publishing in partnership with Difference Press. Morgan James is a trademark of Morgan James, LLC. www.MorganJamesPublishing.com

No part of this book is intended as legal advice. This book does not create an attorney-client relationship between you and the author. If you would like to get advice about how the law applies to your particular situation, please consult an attorney.

The names in this book have been changed to protect identities. The stories included really happened, but are written in a way to protect identities, such as combining some stories. If you asked the harassers involved their side, they would remember the stories differently.

ISBN 9781642791518 paperback

ISBN 9781642791532 case laminate

ISBN 9781642791525 eBook

Library of Congress Control Number: 2018907441

Cover and Interior Design by:

Chris Treccani

www.3dogcreative.net

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For our mothers who spoke out and those who stayed quiet. For our daughters: may they have the courage to speak and be surrounded by those who listen.

The moment we begin to fear the opinions of others and hesitate to tell the truth that is in us, and from motives of policy are silent when we should speak, the divine floods of light and life no longer flow into our souls. Every truth we see is ours to give the world, not to keep for ourselves alone, for in so doing we cheat humanity out of their rights and check our own development.

~Elizabeth Cady Stanton

I almost dropped out of the case the day before the deadline. What changed everything for me, in making one of the biggest decisions of my life, was a conversation with one of my teammates. She said, Chrissy, please do what is best for you, but can I ask what your biggest reservation is to not wanting to move forward? I realized that the reason was I felt like I was being disloyal. I had to ask myself, Disloyal to whom? I had been trained to follow the leader, no matter whether they were taking me to heaven or to hell. We were trained not to question, but to listen and obey. But, I realized, if I went forward in joining this case, it was holding people accountable who had been disloyal to me, and, no matter how painful this realization was, that was more important. I did not owe them loyalty. I owed loyalty to the little girls who could be hurt later if I didnt tell my story. That was a turning point in identifying myself as a Sister Survivor, joining other sisters who helped shut down Dr. Larry Nassar.