Southern California Workplace Harassment
Harassment based on gender, race, national origin, age, pregnancy, disability, religion, etc is not just bad; it’s also against the law in the workplace. Every business in California is required to take all immediate and reasonable steps to prevent harassment from occurring in the workplace. [Business] is prepared to vigorously pursue your claim.
If you’ve encountered harassment at work and your employer hasn’t taken action to stop it. To maximize the value of your claim and begin your recovery process, call 866-536-5788 to speak with one of our recognized lawyers for workplace harassment.
What Is Considered Workplace Harassment?
Almost everyone will inevitably run into hostile coworkers. But when does hostile behavior at work qualify as harassment under the law? A successful harassment lawsuit needs the following evidence to be established in court:
- A protected trait, such as gender, race, national origin, age, pregnancy, disability, religion, etc., was the basis for the harassment.
- The behavior was severe or pervasive and unwanted.
- The harassment was serious and widespread enough to make the workplace intimidating or hostile.
Even if some less than acceptable behaviors, like making crude jokes, may offend some people, they might not be extreme enough to trigger legal sanctions. The Law Offices of Larry H. Parkeremployment lawyers will assess your case and look for these types of workplace harassment:
Physical: Physical intimidation, groping, pushing, striking, and other unwanted physical interactions.
Verbal: Off-color jokes, insults, slurs, and other remarks that disparage a protected status or characteristic.
Visual: Harassment through the use of cartoons, drawings, photos, and posters.
Sexual Workplace Harassment: Includes persistent demands for dates, sexual favors, and other unwanted sexual actions. Sexual harassment has two basic categories: creating a hostile work environment and quid pro quo harassment, which happens when an employer asks for sexual favors in exchange for employee perks.
The frequency and duration of the harassing behavior will be considered by the courts when determining whether the conduct in your case qualifies as workplace harassment. It is significant to remember that the law does not require that the victim be the primary target of the harassment and that your employer may be held accountable if they were aware of the harassment or reasonably should have known about it and did nothing about it.
First Steps To Take
Victims of workplace harassment must first take appropriate action to prevent future incidents before pursuing legal action. This entails documenting the harassment, complaining in writing to management and/or human resources, and using any internal complaint mechanisms your workplace may have put in place. Both federal and California law mandate that harassment victims exhaust administrative remedies through either the Department of Fair Employment and Housing and/or the Equal Opportunity Commission before filing a lawsuit.
Document everything in writing and make a list of the harassing actions, and all witnesses. This direct evidence and details will give credibility to the allegations and may be crucial in helping you recover lost wages, lost benefits, punitive damages, and other compensatory damages.
Filing A Lawsuit
The statute of limitations for filing a claim after being the victim of workplace harassment is three years from the date of the harassment. However, before you bring a harassment case, you must first submit an administrative charge with either the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) for a state claim or the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission of the United States (EEOC) for a federal claim.
Your employer will be informed quickly when the responding agency receives your claim. If you are represented by a lawyer, these agencies will normally immediately issue a right-to-sue letter. If you are not represented the agencies may or may not investigate your claims.
Why Choose The Law Offices of Larry H. Parker?
Once you receive your right to sue letter, you must consult with one of the skilled workplace harassment lawyers at The Law Offices of Larry H. Parker because you may have a limited amount of time to file your claim. Our expert employment lawyers will evaluate the merits and viability of your claim, educate you on your legal options, and collaborate with you to increase the strength of your case. Fighting for the justice that victims of workplace harassment deserve is a serious matter, and we don’t mess around—we succeed.
- We’ve won hundreds of millions of dollars for our clients.
- You don’t pay any legal fees unless we win your case.
Todd H. Harrison is the Managing Partner of the Employment Law Division of Perona, Langer, Beck, and Harrison, an established and respected law firm that The Law Offices of Larry H. Parker has worked with for many years. Todd and his team are committed to fighting employers who take advantage of their employees and believe in leveling the playing field and giving everyone who has been impacted a voice in the justice system. Todd Harrison has represented thousands of employees against some of the largest companies and corporations in the nation. He has obtained hundreds of millions of dollars in settlements, verdicts, and judgments for injured employees and consumers. Todd has handled all types of employment law cases, including but not limited to wrongful termination, whistle-blowing protection, wage and hour laws, overtime pay disputes, independent contractor classification, workplace discrimination, racial discrimination, and sexual harassment.
