When Is “Mean Girl” Behavior at Work a Hostile Work Environment?

Children and teenagers are notoriously antagonistic to their peers, and both before and after the advent of the age of cyberbullying, parents have assured their children that once they grow up and enter the workforce, they will be surrounded by people who behave much more reasonably and professionally.  Unfortunately, this does not always happen.  Sometimes coworkers are as mean to each other as classmates.  The parties to sexual harassment can be of any gender, and sometimes it looks more like what the popular lexicon calls “mean girl” behavior than “dirty old man” behavior.  Sexual harassment may be considered a hostile work environment, which means that it is a type of employment discrimination.  If you have experienced sexual harassment at work, contact a Los Angeles discrimination and harassment lawyer.

Dancers Allege Abusive Behavior by Work Supervisors

Three dancers have filed a lawsuit against their former employer, and at least six other former coworkers of theirs have contacted employment lawyers about joining the lawsuit.  The dancers allege that the dance captain and the singer at whose concerts the dancers perform subjected them to a hostile work environment by singling them out for mistreatment on the basis of protected characteristics such as sex and religion.  These are some of the claims the plaintiffs made:

• The plaintiffs claim that the defendants pressured them to attend an after party at a strip club and to touch the nude dancers.
• One of the plaintiffs, who describes herself as a “non-believer,” claims that one of the defendants persistently preached to her at work about Christianity.
• A plaintiff claims that a defendant made negative comments to her about her weight gain.
• The plaintiffs claim that one of the defendants created a hostile work environment by frequently talking about her own sexual experiences and desires.
• When the plaintiffs complained to the defendants that the defendants’ behavior was making them uncomfortable, the defendants subjected them to excessive scrutiny, including requiring them to re-audition for their jobs.
• One of the plaintiffs mentioned in conversation to one of the defendants that she is a virgin. The defendant repeated this to everyone at work and posted about it on social media.
• One of the plaintiffs, a Latina woman, claims that one of the defendants, a Black woman, used a racial slur against her when she told the defendant that she was quitting her job.
• Two of the plaintiffs claim that the employer fired them in retaliation for their complaints.

The lawsuits are still pending, and news reports did not indicate the amount in damages that the plaintiffs are seeking.

Speak With a Los Angeles Employment Discrimination Lawyer

A Los Angeles employment discrimination lawyer can help you if you have experienced sexual harassment at work.  Contact Litigation, P.C. in Los Angeles, California to discuss your situation or call (424)284-2401.

Sources:

Lizzo sued over sexual harassment and hostile work environment allegations (nbcnews.com)

At least six more people considering joining lawsuit against Lizzo, says plaintiffs’ lawyer – CW Atlanta (cbsnews.com)