Bay Area Employment Lawyers Fighting Workplace Harassment
Workplace harassment can create a toxic environment, making it difficult to perform your job and impacting your well-being. Employers have a duty to prevent, stop and remedy harassment, and they can be liable to employees when they fail to do so. At Bay Area Employment Law LLP, we are dedicated to protecting employees from unlawful harassment and holding employers accountable for maintaining a safe and respectful workplace.
What Is Workplace Harassment?
Workplace harassment involves unwelcome conduct based on a protected characteristic that creates a hostile, intimidating, or offensive work environment. Harassment is prohibited under both California and federal law and includes behavior such as:
- Verbal abuse or slurs.
- Physical threats or assaults.
- Offensive jokes, emails, or images.
- Unwanted sexual advances or comments.
To qualify as unlawful harassment, the behavior must be severe or pervasive enough to alter the conditions of employment.
Federal laws prohibit many different forms of harassment, and California law goes even further in protecting people from harassing conduct at work. The California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) prohibits harassment based on a long list of protected characteristics. Some of the most notable include:
- Race, gender, or sexual orientation.
- Religion or national origin.
- Disability or medical condition.
- Pregnancy or age.
Employers are required to take reasonable steps to prevent and address harassment in the workplace, including providing training and implementing anti-harassment policies, investigating complaints, and taking appropriate action. It doesn’t matter whether the harassment comes from a supervisor, co-worker, customer, or third party like a vendor or supplier.
Sexual Harassment in the Workplace
Sexual harassment is one of the most common forms of workplace harassment. It includes:
- Quid pro quo harassment: When job benefits are conditioned on accepting sexual advances.
- Hostile work environment: When pervasive sexual conduct interferes with an employee’s ability to work.
Unlawful sexual harassment includes male-on-female harassment, female-on-male, and same-sex harassment. Key components include 1) unwelcome conduct that is 2) severe or pervasive so that it 3) alters the working conditions to create a hostile or intimidating environment.
How We Help Harassment Victims in the Bay Area and Throughout the State of California
If you’ve experienced harassment, our attorneys are here to help. We can investigate your claims and gather evidence, file complaints with the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) or the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), and advocate for you in negotiations or litigation.
Victims of workplace harassment may recover compensation for legal damages such as lost wages and benefits, emotional distress and pain and suffering, and punitive damages in cases of extreme misconduct.
Attorneys’ fees and court costs can be recovered from the opposing party so it doesn’t cost you anything for pursuing a successful claim.
Take a Stand Against Harassment
At Bay Area Employment Law LLP, we believe every employee deserves a safe and respectful workplace. If you’ve been subjected to harassment, we can help you seek justice and protect your rights. Call 510-295-0090 or fill out our online contact form to schedule a consultation today.
