There are strictly enforced federal and state laws that prohibit workplace harassment of any kind. Unfortunately, instances of harassment still commonly occur in workplaces throughout the state of California. Read on to discover what constitutes harassment in the workplace and how one of the seasoned California sexual harassment lawyers at Stansbury Brown Law, PC can be there for you in your time of need.

What actions are considered workplace harassment in the state of California?

By definition, workplace harassment is considered to be unwanted and repeated actions that are known to be offensive; or that should be known as offensive by a reasonable individual. The perpetrators of such actions may be an employer, a supervisor, or a coworker, along with even a third-party client or vendor. Such actions typically go against a protected class, such as an employee’s race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, disability, etc. Without further ado, examples of what may constitute workplace harassment are as follows:

  • You are the brunt of racially-charged jokes or slurs.
  • You are left out of certain projects after turning the age of 40.
  • You are mocked for using certain employee benefits to aid your disability.
  • You are made uncomfortable for wearing religious garments in the workplace.
  • You are subjected to offensive objects or pictures displayed throughout the workplace.

With this, there is the subset of sexual harassment. This may occur if an employer, supervisor, coworker, or otherwise participates in sexual contact or behavior that does not have the consent of an employee. Examples read as follows:

  • An employer makes unwanted sexual advances or otherwise inappropriately touches you.
  • A supervisor makes promises of a promotion, raise, or otherwise in exchange for requesting sexual favors.
  • A coworker makes offensive jokes or comments regarding your sex.

What deadlines should I keep in mind for my claim?

If you are made a victim of workplace harassment, then you must report it to your employer’s Human Resources department. The same goes even if you are just a witness of harassment in your workplace. And the sooner, you bring this to their attention, the better.

And if your employer does not promptly and thoroughly investigate your claim, there is always the option of pursuing legal action. For this, you should file a complaint with the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The deadline for this is 180 days from the date on which your incident occurred. Then, you should file a workplace harassment claim with the civil court. The deadline for this is three years from the date on which your incident occurred.

So, when it comes to your workplace harassment claim, you need one of the competent Los Angeles employment lawyers by your side. This is why you must contact Stansbury Brown Law, PC today.