Sexual Harassment

The Los Angeles employment law office of Gallenberg PC is dedicated to representing employees who have experienced sexual harassment at the workplace. We offer a free confidential initial telephone intake to prospective clients. We accept cases on a contingency fee basis. If you believe you were subjected to sexual harassment, it is important to contact a lawyer as soon as possible as the statute of limitations for this claim is short. Submit your case for consideration to a Los Angeles Sexual Harassment lawyer now to protect your rights. If you believe you were sexually harassed at work, call us now at (818) 237-5267 (Burbank) or (213) 986-8432 (Los Angeles) or (310) 295-1654 (Beverly Hills) or fill out our quick and easy free online Case Evaluation Form.

California law protects employees from unwanted sexual harassment. The Fair Employment and Housing Act (“FEHA”) defines sexual harassment as harassment based on sex or of a sexual nature; gender harassment; and harassment based on pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions. Sexual harassment laws protect women as well as men, lesbian, gay and transgendered individuals. California sexual harassment laws also protect individuals from harassment from individuals of the same gender and employees harassed because of their sexual orientation.

Assuming the lawsuit is filed on time, an individual may still have a claim for sexual harassment even though the individual was fired from the job this is because the sexual harassment already took place and it doesn’t matter that he or she no longer works there. If the employee complained about sexual harassment and subsequently terminated, the fired employee may also have a claim for wrongful termination as the termination may be the result of retaliation for complaining about sexual harassment. Consult with a lawyer about the statute of limitations applicable to your case to avoid losing the claim due to the passage of time.

Assuming the lawsuit is filed on time, a victim of sexual harassment may still have a claim for sexual harassment if the sexual harassment took place at work and the victim was forced to quit. The victim may also have a “constructive discharge” claim. To have a claim for constructive discharge, the victim must prove that the sexual harassment conditions were so intolerable that a reasonable person would have had no other option but to resign. It is important to consult a lawyer before quitting a job to strategize the resignation and/or discuss other options.

The following is a partial list of types of sexual harassment:

• Using derogatory comments, epithets or slurs;
• Making “jokes” sexual in nature or getting teased due to gender;
• Comments sexual in nature, or sex stories/discussions;
• Graphic comments about an individual’s body (including compliments about an individual’s body parts);
• Sexually degrading words used to describe an individual;
• Suggestive letters, notes, or invitations;
• Obscene writings;
• Unwanted sexual advances (including but not limited to requests for dates, requests for kisses, marriage proposals, request for sexually suggestive work clothing, and romantic gifts such as flowers);
• Offering employment benefits in exchange for sexual favors;
• Actual or threatened retaliation;
• Leering;
• Making sexual gestures;
• Displaying sexually suggestive objects, pictures, cartoons, or posters;
• Physical touching/assault;
• Impeding or blocking movements;
• Invasion of personal space;

There are two types of sexual harassment: quid pro quo sexual harassment and hostile work environment sexual harassment.

A victim of quid pro quo sexual harassment must generally prove that the harasser made unwanted sexual advances or engaged in other unwanted conduct verbally or physically sexual in nature and that job benefits were conditioned, by words or conduct, on the victims acceptance of the harasser’s sexual advances or conduct (or that employment decisions affecting the victim were made based on the acceptance or rejection of the harasser’s sexual advances or conduct).

A victim of hostile work environment sexual harassment must generally prove that the victim was subjected to unwanted harassing conduct because of her/his sex/gender (or because she/he was believed to be of a specific gender or because she/he was associated with a person believed to be of a specific gender and that (2) the harassing conduct was so severe, widespread, or persistent that a reasonable woman/man in the victim’s circumstances would have considered the work environment to be hostile or abusive.

In Los Angeles county, for example, many victims of sexual harassment victims do not know their legal rights because they have not called a lawyer, and as a result no action is taken. In certain cases, the victims do not know that what they experienced at work is unlawful sexual harassment until they speak with an attorney. At Gallenberg PC, a Los Angeles sexual harassment lawyer can walk you through your options and discuss what is best for you.

California and federal laws relating to sexual harassment change almost daily and therefore, it is in the best interest of an employee (whether current or former) to contact a Los Angeles county sexual harassment lawyer.

Gallenberg PC has successfully assisted victims of sexual harassment throughout California. A Los Angeles employment lawyer at our office may be able to take your case on a contingency fee basis! To be considered, you can call our new client intake line or you can fill out our quick and easy online Case Evaluation Form; this is the fastest way to get your case screened by an attorney. We do not charge prospective clients for a confidential telephone intake or online case review.

Submit your case for consideration now to a Los Angeles sexual harassment attorney; by dialing (213) 986-8432. For Beverly Hills, please call (310) 295-1654. To submit your case for review to an employment lawyer in Burbank and surrounding San Fernando Valley, please call (818) 237-5267.