Redondo Beach Sexual Harassment Lawyer
Sexual harassment has long been a major problem in many California workplaces. Yet despite the numerous high-profile cases exposing the damage that such harassment does to its victims, many employers still do not take this issue seriously. Sexual harassment continues to be not only tolerated but dismissed as “no big deal.”
But it is a big deal. Every worker in Los Angeles County has the right to work in a safe workplace that is free of harassment based on their sex or gender. If your employer does not see it that way, then a qualified Redondo Beach sexual harassment lawyer can help you in asserting your legal rights. At Litigation, P.C., we represent individual victims of workplace harassment and assist them in seeking compensation and other relief against employers who do not take their legal obligations seriously.
Have You Been the Target of Severe or Pervasive Harassment in the Workplace Based on Your Sex?
California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) and its federal counterpart, the Civil Rights Act of 1964, both prohibit discrimination in employment based on sex. Over the years, it has become well established that discrimination includes both “quid pro quo” acts–e.g., demanding sexual favors for favorable treatment at work–but also creating or tolerating a “hostile work environment” based on a culture of sexual harassment.
Sexual harassment is basically any scenario where an employee receives unwelcome advances or conduct that is somehow based on their sex. If this unwelcome conduct is “severe” or “pervasive” to the point where it alters the conditions of employment, then it is considered sexual harassment. So while a stray sexist joke would probably not qualify as harassment under the law, a supervisor who has a history of making demeaning remarks toward female employees would likely meet the “severe” or “pervasive” standard.
Indeed, even when sexual harassment may specifically target one employee, it may lead to the creation of a hostile work environment for others. To give a simple hypothetical example, if a supervisor demands sexual favors from an employee in exchange for a raise, that can create a hostile work environment for the other female employees in that same office.
Sexual harassment is also not limited to supervisors. If a person is targeted for sex-based harassment by co-workers, independent contractors, or even customers or clients, the employer may still be held legally responsible if they knew about the misconduct yet failed to take any action to protect the employee.
Contact Litigation, P.C. Today
Victims of sexual harassment can seek a variety of damages under Title VII and the FEHA, including any back pay lost due to the discriminatory conduct and compensation for their pain, suffering, and mental anguish. An experienced Redondo Beach sexual harassment lawyer can review your specific case in detail and advise you of your best course of action. So if you would like to speak with an attorney as soon as possible, contact Litigation, P.C., to schedule a free initial consultation with a member of our California employment law team.