Los Angeles Sexual Harassment Lawyer
You Have the Right to Work Without Sexual Harassment.
Sexual harassment can make a workplace intimidating, degrading, and unsafe. California law protects employees from unwanted sexual advances, inappropriate comments, touching, requests for sexual favors, and other unlawful sexual conduct at work.
If you experienced sexual harassment or retaliation after reporting it, GS LAW, APC can evaluate your case and explain your legal options.
Workplace Sexual Harassment
California employees are protected from unlawful sexual conduct by supervisors, coworkers, and others in the workplace.
Hostile Work Environment
Repeated or sufficiently serious sexual conduct can create an unlawful hostile or offensive workplace.
Protection From Retaliation
Employers cannot lawfully punish employees for reporting sexual harassment or participating in an investigation.
What Is Workplace Sexual Harassment in California?
Sexual harassment generally involves unwelcome sexual advances or verbal, visual, or physical conduct of a sexual nature.
It can occur between people of any gender and does not have to involve physical touching.
Sexual harassment may include inappropriate comments, sexual jokes, unwanted advances, offensive messages, sexual propositions, touching, or conditioning workplace benefits on sexual conduct.
California recognizes both quid pro quo sexual harassment and hostile work environment harassment.
Quid Pro Quo Sexual Harassment
“Quid pro quo” essentially means “this for that.”
It occurs when employment benefits or consequences are tied to accepting or rejecting sexual conduct.
Examples may include a supervisor suggesting that an employee will receive a promotion, better schedule, raise, or continued employment in exchange for sexual favors.
It may also occur when an employee suffers negative consequences after rejecting a supervisor’s advances.
Hostile Work Environment Sexual Harassment
A hostile work environment may exist when unwelcome sexual conduct becomes sufficiently severe or pervasive to create an intimidating, hostile, or offensive workplace.
Depending on the circumstances, even a single serious incident can potentially support a harassment claim.
The entire workplace environment matters, including the nature of the conduct, how often it occurred, who engaged in it, and how it affected the employee.
Examples of Sexual Harassment at Work
Sexual harassment can take many forms, including:
- Unwanted touching or sexual advances
- Sexual jokes or comments
- Comments about an employee’s body or appearance
- Sexually explicit texts, emails, or images
- Repeated requests for dates after being rejected
- Sexual gestures or staring
- Inappropriate discussions about sexual activity
- Requests for sexual favors
- Offering workplace benefits in exchange for sexual conduct
- Threatening workplace consequences after rejecting sexual advances
Harassment does not have to occur behind closed doors. It can happen through text messages, social media, email, workplace conversations, company events, or other work-related settings.
Sexual Harassment by Supervisors, Coworkers, and Customers
The person engaging in sexual harassment does not necessarily have to be the employee’s supervisor.
Harassment may involve:
- Supervisors
- Managers
- Coworkers
- Executives
- Customers Clients
- Vendors
- Other people encountered through work
An employer’s potential liability can depend in part on who committed the harassment and whether management knew or should have known about the conduct and failed to take appropriate corrective action. California law provides particularly significant protections involving harassment by supervisors.
Retaliation for Reporting Sexual Harassment
Employees have the right to report sexual harassment without being punished for doing so.
Unlawful retaliation may include:
- Termination
- Demotion
- Reduced hours
- Unfavorable scheduling
- Discipline Loss of responsibilities
- Denial of promotion
- Increased scrutiny
- Other negative treatment
Retaliation can occur even when the employee reports conduct they reasonably believe violates California employment law.
For example, California’s Civil Rights Department specifically identifies passing over an employee for promotion because they complained about sexual harassment as potential unlawful retaliation.
What Damages Can a Sexual Harassment Victim Recover?
Depending on the circumstances, an employee who experienced unlawful sexual harassment may be entitled to compensation for damages such as:
- Lost wages
- Lost employment benefits
- Emotional distress
- Future lost earnings
- Punitive damages where available
- Attorney’s fees and costs
- Other available legal remedies
If the harassment resulted in termination or another adverse employment action, additional employment claims may also exist.
How GS LAW, APC Can Help
Sexual harassment cases often depend heavily on the history of what occurred and the evidence showing how the employer responded.
GS LAW, APC can evaluate:
- What was said or done
- Who engaged in the harassment
- Text messages, emails, or other communications
- Complaints made to HR or management
- Witnesses who observed the conduct
- How management responded
- Changes in your treatment after reporting harassment
- Whether you were disciplined, demoted, or terminated
- Whether additional retaliation or wrongful termination claims exist
We represent California employees who have been subjected to unlawful workplace conduct and work to hold employers accountable when employee rights are violated.
If you experienced sexual harassment at work, contact GS LAW, APC to discuss your situation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does My Employer Have to Give Me the Exact Accommodation I Request?
Can Medical Leave Be a Reasonable Accommodation?
Yes. Depending on the circumstances, a period of medical leave may qualify as a reasonable accommodation.
Can I Be Fired After Requesting an Accommodation?
What If My Employer Never Engaged in the Interactive Process?
Resources & Articles
Employment Law Guides
- Employment Law Guides
- California Meal & Rest Break Guide
- California Minimum Wage and Payday Guide
- California Overtime Guide
- California Unpaid Wages, Penalties & Damages Guide
- California Exempt Employee Misclassification Guide
- California Independent Contractor Misclassification Guide
- California Off-the-Clock Guide
Your Disability Should Not Cost You Your Job
If your employer denied a reasonable accommodation, ignored the interactive process, or terminated you after requesting an accommodation, you may have legal options.
GS LAW, APC represents employees throughout California.