A Hostile Work Environment Attorney in Covina CA Can Help You if You’ve Been the Victim of Harassment
Harassment based on gender, ethnicity, national origin, age, pregnancy, handicap, religion, etc. is not just wrong; it is also illegal in the workplace. All California businesses are legally required to take action to prevent harassment from happening and to stop it if it does happen. If you are in need of a hostile work environment attorney in Covina CA, PLBH is here to help.
Call us right away if you’ve experienced workplace harassment and your employer hasn’t taken any steps to stop it. Contact us now at (800) 435-7542 to speak to an attorney who can help you maximize your claim.
What is a Hostile Work Environment? A Hostile Work Environment Attorney in Covina CA Explains
Virtually everyone will have to cope with a hostile coworker at some point in their lives. But when does hostile behavior at work fall under the legal definition of harassment? A successful harassment lawsuit needs the following evidence to be established in court: a protected trait, such as gender, race, national origin, age, pregnancy, disability, religion, etc., was the basis for the harassment.
Additionally, it must be shown that the behavior was severe or pervasive and unwanted and that the harassment was serious and widespread enough to make the workplace intimidating or hostile.
Not All Inappropriate Behavior Rises to the Level of a Hostile Work Environment
Even if some less than acceptable behaviors, like making crude jokes, may offend some people, they might not be extreme enough to trigger legal sanctions. The best person to determine the legality of any particular action is your hostile work environment attorney in Covina CA.
It can include physical hostilities such physical intimidation, groping, pushing, striking, and other unpleasant physical contacts. Verbal actions that can be unlawful include making off-color jokes, insulting someone, using slurs against them, or otherwise verbally assaulting someone due to their protected status or characteristic. Visual harassment, which involves utilizing cartoons, photos, posters, or drawings to harass someone, can also happen.
If You Have Suffered as the Victim of Sexual Harassment, a Hostile Work Environment Attorney in Covina CA Might Be Able to Help You
Sexual harassment can include things like persistently demanding a date from someone, requesting sexual favors, and many other unwanted sexual actions and behaviors. There are two main categories of sexual harassment, one of which is creating a hostile work environment. The other is quid pro quo sexual harassment, which involves an employer asking their employee for sexual favors and giving them employment perks as a result.
These Are the Steps to Take if You Have Suffered in a Hostile Work Environment
Before you can pursue legal action, there are steps you must take to prevent future cases of a hostile work environment. This entails documenting the harassment, complaining in writing to management and/or human resources, and using any internal complaint mechanisms your workplace may have put in place.
Both federal and California law mandate that harassment victims exhaust administrative remedies through either the Department of Fair Employment and Housing and/or the Equal Opportunity Commission before filing a lawsuit.
Make a record of everything in writing and list out all the harassing actions you can think of, along with any witnesses to the behavior. This proof may be necessary to support your claims and secure the benefits, punitive damages, and lost wages to which you may be entitled. There is no reason to wait to contact a hostile work environment attorney in Covina CA. Contact PLBH at (800) 435-7542 now for a free legal consultation.