light of the #MeToo movement, most California employers will act quickly to take appropriate measures against your harasser.
Do your coworkers use slurs and derogatory terms to refer to your sex, gender or gender expression? Has your boss been asking you to have sex with them? Why put up with all this when you can easily contact the best California sexual harassment lawyers and teach them a lesson?
The laws on sexual harassment are very strict in California and you can file a complaint even if it’s just about sexist jokes and comments about your physical appearance. The perpetrators will most surely claim they were only joking, but there is no such thing as an innocent joke when it comes to sexual harassment. Words can hurt just as much as physical violence and they can impair your ability to perform your job duties, not to mention the mental suffering. If you’re in such a situation you don’t have to put up with it. Just talk to a Los Angeles sexual harassment lawyer or an attorney in your area and fight back.
A legal expert can be of great help to understand if you do have a case. There are many instances when a person considers certain behaviors as improper, yet they do not constitute sexual harassment.
For instance, a lewd joke might be inappropriate in the workplace, but an isolated incident is hardly enough to file a complaint. Likewise, if a coworker brushes against you and touches your breast it might be just an unfortunate accident.
Skilled sexual harassment lawyers will explain to you that you need to establish a pattern and the offensive behavior needs to be pervasive if you want to pursue a sexual harassment complaint.
To avoid any misunderstandings, you should make it clear that you find your coworkers’ behavior offensive and tell them to stop sexually-explicit jokes or graphic language in your presence. If the matter goes to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) or to court, you need to show your harassers were aware you were not happy with their behavior.
The next step is to complain to your supervisor or employer. According to California law, all public and private employers need to have a clear policy to prevent sexual harassment. Employers need to provide training as to what constitutes sexual harassment and have a procedure in place for those looking to make a complaint. All employees need to know exactly who they should talk to if they feel harassed.
As an employee, it is your duty to inform the HR or your employer about the harassment you were subjected to, and give them time to address the situation. In light of the #MeToo movement, most California employers will act quickly to take appropriate measures against your harasser.
If it’s your boss that’s harassing you, there’s little point in complaining to them. Better talk to an employment lawyer and see what legal steps are available. Most often, they will recommend filing a complaint with the EEOC. The commission can settle the case through mediation or they can file a lawsuit on your behalf. Either way, you’ll need a lawyer to help you get a fair settlement.
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