Lancaster Sexual Harassment Lawyer

Lancaster Sexual Harassment Attorney

Sexual harassment is a pervasive issue in many workplaces and puts numerous employees in uncomfortable or even unsafe positions. While there are both state and federal laws prohibiting sexual harassment and requiring certain policies of employers, this does not stop all harassment. If you are an employee facing sexual harassment in the workplace due to a hostile work culture or due to the illegal actions of an employer or manager, a Lancaster sexual harassment lawyer can help.

There are options for you if you are dealing with sexual harassment in the workplace. An attorney can help you find recourse when your employer has failed to provide you with a safe workplace free from harassment.

Experienced Sexual Harassment Employment Lawyers in Lancaster

An employer can be responsible for their actions in sexual harassment and may also be responsible when their workplace is a hostile environment for certain employees. If they knew about the harassment and did nothing about it or even encouraged the behavior, then they are responsible. An effective attorney can help you hold your employer and/or the aggressor accountable through a legal claim.

At Hennig Kramer, LLP, our firm has nearly 30 years of experience advocating for the rights of employees when those rights are violated, including in sexual harassment cases. Our team has decades of collective experience, with diverse knowledge in many areas of employment law.

We support you along each step of your claim, including gathering evidence, preparing a complaint for the right to sue, and filing a claim against your employer in court. Our goal is to provide compassionate and comprehensive legal support and protect your rights throughout the process.

What Are Examples of Sexual Harassment in the Workplace?

It is not always easy to identify sexual harassment in the workplace. Some behaviors are assumed to be jokes, or employees may be afraid to say anything for fear of retaliation. Not all sexual harassment is obvious, but repeated and continuous behavior can create a hostile work environment. Some examples of sexually harassing behaviors include:

• Verbal harassment. This includes suggestive and explicit comments, conversations, or jokes. It also includes unwanted statements or teasing about a person’s appearance, sex, or gender. Verbal harassment also includes unwanted statements of sexual advancement or the spreading of sexual rumors in the workplace.
• Non-verbal harassment. This may include sharing explicit content, such as messages, emails, photos, or videos. It may be shared online or in physical form. Non-verbal harassment may also include the showing of offensive objects, prolonged staring at another person, or inappropriate signs and gestures.
• Physical harassment. This includes any unwanted physical contact, from touching, grabbing, groping, or assault. It can also include grabbing at a person’s clothes with the intention to expose them or unwanted physical sexual advances.

Sexual harassment does not only include physical actions; many different actions could be considered to create a hostile work environment or be quid pro quo harassment.

What Can You Do If You Face Sexual Harassment?

The first step after experiencing sexual harassment in Lancaster, California, is to review your company’s policy and determine with whom you can file a complaint or report. Certain types of claims require you to use the complaint process for internal actions prior to taking legal action. By filing a complaint this way, you give your employer the chance to take appropriate action and you could have a much faster and less complex resolution.

If the complaint is not addressed in a reasonable amount of time or in a reasonable manner, then you may want to take other steps. Working with an attorney can be beneficial at this stage. They can help you determine where to file your complaint for the right to sue.

You may need to file with the California Civil Rights Department, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, or both, depending on your claims. The agency may investigate your complaint and determine whether to provide you the right to sue. Then, you can proceed with your claim against your employer.

FAQs

Q: Do I Need a Lawyer to File a Sexual Harassment Claim?

A: The help of a lawyer is not required to file a sexual harassment claim, but it is incredibly beneficial to do so. Working with a skilled employment attorney can help ensure you are taking the right steps in the right order. Your attorney can also provide an initial evaluation to determine if you have a valid claim and gather the necessary evidence to support your claim.

Q: How Do I Prove Sexual Harassment in California?

A: To prove sexual harassment in the workplace in California, you must prove your case with a preponderance of evidence. This standard of proof means that it is shown that it was more likely to have occurred than to have not occurred. Some relevant evidence to prove sexual harassment may include coworker communications, communications between employees and employers, internal company communications, company sexual harassment policies, and more.

Q: What Are the Four Elements that Legally Define Sexual Harassment?

A: There are four elements that define harassment according to the EEOC, which can also be used to pursue a sexual harassment claim. The elements of a complaint include the employee being a legally protected class, the employee being subjected to unwanted physical, visual, or verbal behavior based on their protected class, the harassment was either meant to or caused the employee’s work to be impacted, or established a hostile workplace, there is a basis for liability attributed to the employer.

Q: What Qualifies as a Sexual Harassment Charge in California?

A: The two types of sexual harassment in California are a hostile work environment and quid pro quo. A hostile work environment occurs when there are comments or conduct that make the workplace intimidating or unsafe and include severe or continual acts of sexual harassment. Quid pro quo occurs when a manager, boss, or other employer offers employment or beneficial employment actions for sexual favors, requires acceptance of sexual harassment as a condition of employment, or threatens negative employment actions to the same end.

Lancaster Sexual Harassment Lawyer

Sexual harassment should not be tolerated in the workplace. At Hennig Kramer, LLP, we can help you navigate the claims process and provide you with respectful and dedicated legal support. With our knowledge and experience, you can gain the partners you deserve to navigate your case. Contact our team today.