Pasadena Sexual Harassment Lawyer

Pasadena Sexual Harassment Attorney

If you think you have faced sexual harassment in your place of employment in Pasadena, California, you may have the legal right to file a complaint and seek compensation. This form of harassment can occur in virtually any workplace, and individuals who have been negatively impacted by this harassment may have the right to pursue a claim. If you have been the victim of workplace sexual harassment, it’s time to consult with a Pasadena sexual harassment lawyer.

In the workplace, an individual might face sexual harassment from a variety of sources, including a co-worker, a client, a customer, a supervisor, or even your boss. Victims of workplace sexual harassment should not be forced to suffer this behavior in silence. Instead, you deserve the counsel and representation of a sexual harassment attorney who cares about you as a fellow human being and is prepared to aggressively fight for your rights and protections. If you are facing sexual harassment in the workplace, a skilled Pasadena sexual harassment lawyer at Advantage Advocates, P.C., can provide you with the legal guidance and support you need. Our team of employment lawyers is dedicated to ensuring your rights are upheld and that you receive the justice you deserve.

What Constitutes Harassment in the Workplace

The California Fair Employment and Housing Act protects applicants, employees, interns, volunteers, and contractors from harassment based on a protected category. Harassment is prohibited in all workplaces, even those with less than five employees.

Unlawful harassment can be based on sex or any other protected category, such as gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, reproductive health decision-making, marital status, race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, age (40 and over), physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, or veteran or military status.

Harassment can be visual or verbal, or it could involve physical conduct. Visual conduct includes leering, gestures, sexually suggestive or otherwise offensive objects, pictures, cartoons, or posters. Verbal conduct includes making or using derogatory comments, epithets, slurs, jokes, comments about a person’s body, or using words to describe an individual or their body that are degrading and based on their protected category. Physical conduct includes touching, assault, or impeding or blocking movements. Sexual harassment also includes offering employment or benefits in exchange for sexual favors or making or threatening retaliatory action after receiving a negative response to sexual advances.

Managers or supervisors who harass you can be personally liable for harassment along with the employer. Employers can also be liable for failing to take reasonable steps to prevent harassment from occurring.

Victims of harassment may be able to recover back pay (past lost earnings), interest on back pay, front pay (future lost earnings), damages for emotional distress, punitive damages, and attorney’s fees and costs. Non-monetary remedies are also available, such as hiring or reinstatement, promotion, policy changes, and training.

Advantage Advocates: Fighting for Clients Facing Workplace Sexual Harassment

At Advantage Advocates, employment law attorney Amy Ramsey is passionate about pursuing compensation and other recoverable damages for her clients who faced sexual harassment in their place of work. She strongly believes that no one should be victimized in this way and wants to do whatever she can to ensure their rights and protections are upheld in any kind of negotiation or litigation scenario. She also has extensive experience representing clients with these legal matters.

Since 1999, Ms. Ramsey has been fiercely practicing employment law and is ready to put that experience and resources at her disposal to use to fight for you and the protections you deserve due to the violations you have suffered. If you choose to report sexual harassment in the workplace and your employer retaliates, Ms. Ramsey can work to ensure your retaliation claim, along with a sexual harassment claim, is vindicated.

What Is Workplace Sexual Harassment?

In the state of California, workplace sexual harassment does not necessarily need to include any physical contact or acts of a sexual nature. It can also include acts of teasing, offensive comments, or intimidation based on certain stereotypes. It can also include bullying an employee based on their sex, gender identity, gender presentation, or sexual orientation. There are also two main forms of workplace sexual harassment. These include the following:

• Quid Pro Quo: The first form of workplace sexual harassment, quid pro quo, occurs when it is implied or otherwise stated that a decision as it pertains to an individual’s employment is based on whether or not that individual submits to certain sexual conduct. It can also occur when that individual is expected to perform a certain sexual behavior or act in order to continue their employment or receive a promotion.
• Hostile Work Environment: The second form of workplace sexual harassment, suffering a hostile work environment, can occur when the unwelcome act of sexual behavior results in a threatening, intimidating, or abusive work environment. This environment must be so severe, pervasive, and persistent that it keeps the victim from being able to fully perform their job duties effectively.

What Specific Acts Are Considered Workplace Sexual Harassment?

There are many specific acts that can be considered workplace sexual harassment. If you have experienced any of the following acts or behaviors in your Pasadena workplace, it might be in your interest to consult with sexual harassment attorney Amy Ramsey to determine if you have grounds to file a complaint or claim for compensation. The most common acts that are considered workplace sexual harassment include:

• Sexual Comments: These comments can come in many forms, including jokes of a sexual nature based on someone’s physical appearance or attributes, spreading rumors about the sexual activity of an individual in the workplace, discussing an individual’s sexual activity in front of co-workers, or the display, discussion, or distribution of pornography. These comments can be made in person, via email, text, or on social media.
• Unwanted Advances: This kind of action can arise when you are dealing with an individual at your place of work who is making phone calls or sending emails or texts of a harassing nature, sending you letters, or visiting the office in order to pressure you for dates or sexual favors. These incidents can be of an unwanted sexual or romantic nature.
• Inappropriate Touching: This type of harassment can include any behaviors of kissing, hugging, fondling, or touching oneself in a sexual manner in front of others. This can also include criminal acts such as rape, sexual assault, or other sexual acts done in force.
• Sexist Comments: It is commonly believed that in order to count as sexual harassment, the comments or acts must be of an explicitly sexual nature. However, offensive conduct based solely on an individual’s sex can be considered sexual harassment if done so in a way that creates a hostile work environment.
• Facing Harassment from Others: When an employee faces sexual harassment from their manager or co-worker, this is illegal. However, the employer also has the responsibility to protect their employees from sexual harassment by outsiders, such as clients, customers, vendors, or partners in the business. If your employer is made aware of the harassment, they are legally bound to take action.

How to Legally Protect Yourself Against Workplace Sexual Harassment

If you believe you are the victim of sexual harassment in your place of work, there are certain steps you can take in order to protect yourself. These steps can include:

• Keep a Record of Everything: If you believe you are dealing with workplace sexual harassment, it is vital that you keep a record or log of everything you experience regarding the harassment. If you decide to take any legal action, this can help you provide the necessary evidence to prove your claim. Make sure that this information is stored in a safe place other than your place of work.
• Make Your Feelings Clear: If you are facing workplace sexual harassment, make it clear to the individual harassing you that their conduct is extremely unwelcome. If you feel safe to do so, vocalize your feelings of discomfort to the individual.
• Complain to Your Employer: Your employer should have a policy against harassment that explains who you can complain to if you believe you are being harassed. You cannot prevail in a harassment lawsuit against your employer unless: (1) the harassment was done by your manager or supervisor; or (2) if the harassment was done by a co-worker, and the employer knew or should have known that a co-worker was harassing you.
• Consult with an Employment Lawyer: It is in your interest to seek the counsel and representation of an attorney if you decide to file a claim or complaint for the workplace sexual harassment you are suffering, or even if you want to complain internally using your employer’s process. You want someone who understands how employers tick and someone who has the experience necessary to bring your claim or complaint to negotiations or litigation if necessary.

Gathering Evidence in a Pasadena Workplace Sexual Harassment Case

A sexual harassment case is made strong by two things: the experience of your attorney and the quality and amount of evidence you have. It can prove vital that you keep a log of every encounter you have with your harasser, even if the encounters aren’t always of a sexually-explicit nature. Also keep copies of every complaint you make to your employer about harassment and their responses to you. You can help make your lawyer’s job easier if you have a record of the things your harasser said or did to you and the way in which your employer addressed the situation.

You will want to collect copies of all text messages, social media messages, or emails, along with a call log of all the calls your harasser has made to you. This will allow you to have a paper trail regarding the sexual harassment you have faced. This evidence will help prove that you are indeed a victim of workplace sexual harassment and that your employer has done nothing to address it or taken actions of an inadequate nature. If you are in Pasadena, California, an experienced attorney can help you gather and present this evidence, ensuring that your rights are protected and you receive the justice you deserve.

Compensation Recoverable in Certain Pasadena Sexual Harassment Cases

In the state of California, there are several types of compensation you might be entitled to in a sexual harassment case. These can include the following:

• Back Pay: If, due to sexual harassment, you have been fired or denied a promotion or raise, you might be entitled to receive back pay for lost wages, benefits including healthcare, dental, or retirement, and other compensation you would have received from the time of your termination or other negative decision to the moment in which your case is settled.
• Front Pay: If you were forced to quit or terminated due to a hostile work environment, you have the explicit right to be reinstated to your place of employment. Should you wish not to return or your position is no longer available, you may be entitled to compensation for the wages you would have made from the time you were terminated to the time the claim is settled.
• Compensatory Damages: You may be able to receive compensation for things such as pain and suffering for any physical or emotional injuries that were caused by workplace sexual harassment. This might be able to cover any out-of-pocket expenses you had for counseling, therapy, or medical expenses because of the harassment.
• Punitive Damages: In some cases, punitive damages might be awarded to the victim in order to punish the employer for certain egregious behaviors, such as not addressing the situation when they were made aware of the sexual harassment.

Contact a Trusted and Compassionate Pasadena Sexual Harassment Lawyer

If you have been the victim of sexual harassment in the workplace in Pasadena, California, you have the legal right to file a claim or complaint against the individual guilty of harassing you. Amy Ramsey is passionate about protecting clients dealing with this area of employment law. Contact Advantage Advocates today to learn more information.