Discrimination and Harassment in the Workplace
Webb Law Group, APC has a team of employment attorneys who are highly experienced in lawsuits relating to workplace discrimination and harassment. Our Southern California employment litigation team has the necessary experience to handle these types of claims.
Despite the fact that there are many federal, state, and local laws in place that prohibit discrimination in the workplace and require equal rights be granted to all employees, discrimination still exists today in the workplace. Discrimination in the workplace creates a toxic environment, and one that should not be tolerated by any employee of the company. Unfortunately, most instances of discrimination are never reported, and no action is taken against the perpetrating employer, including bosses and coworkers who have engaged in discrimination or allowed it to occur in at work.
California as a state has some of the most protective laws regarding discrimination in the nation. Under the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) the areas that are considered protected include ancestry/creed, age, color, disability, genetics, gender, gender expression or identity, marital status, military or veteran status, nationality, race, religion, sex, and sexual orientation. Under FEHA, it is illegal for an employer to discriminate or harass an employee or prospective employee due to any of these protected traits. This is true from very start of the hiring process, during employment, and all the way through termination.
Companies are not allowed to fire someone because they are a member of a protected class or they did something protected by law. And companies also are not allowed to refuse to hire, pay less, demote, or reprimand someone because they are a member of a protected class or engaged in a protected activity.
Our employment discrimination lawyers in both Fresno and San Diego have taken action against perpetrators of:
- Race and national origin discrimination
- Religious discrimination
- Age discrimination
- Gender, sexual orientation and pregnancy discrimination
- Unfair denials of family and medical leave
- Refusals to make reasonable accommodations and other violations of disability rights
Built on Integrity, Driven by Results, Committed to You Our Guiding Principles
-
Innovative Legal StrategiesOur team combines creative problem-solving with compassionate counsel to guide you through every step of your legal journey.
-
Experience You Can Count OnWith decades of combined legal expertise, we confidently navigate complex cases to protect your rights and achieve favorable outcomes.
-
Personalized Advocacy, Proven ResultsWe deliver customized legal solutions backed by a track record of success, ensuring your unique needs are always our top priority.
-
No Win, No Fee – Your Justice GuaranteedWe believe in your case and stand by you with a contingency fee structure—no legal fees unless we secure a win for you.
Sexual Harassment and Assault in Employment
As a victim of sexual harassment or assault you may be feeling a powerless and you may not know what your next step should be. Webb Law Group, APC has a team of employment law attorneys who are experienced in handling matters involving sexual harassment or sexual assault in the workplace. Our San Diego and Fresno employment lawyers at Webb Law Group, APC will explain your legal options and help you choose the best path forward.
No one should have to tolerate inappropriate sexual comments or touching in the workplace. Even with the added attention that the #MeToo movement has brought to the widespread issue of sexual assault, there are still many victims who are suffering from sexual harassment or sexual assault at work. This experience can be incredibly difficult to navigate for the victim, but Webb Law Group, APC has a long history of representing employees in these sexual harassment and sexual assault cases and we are here to help you in an understanding and compassionate manner while we seek justice for you.
Sexual harassment comes in many different forms. Some of the more common types of sexual harassment in the workplace fall into one of the following categories:
- Unwanted sexual advances or invitations
- Visual conduct such as sexual gestures, sharing or displaying sexually provocative pictures or objects, inappropriate staring
- Verbal conduct such as making inappropriate comments, lewd remarks, sexually explicit jokes, sexual comments about a person’s body, clothing, appearance, or sexual activity,
- Physical conduct such as groping, unwanted touching, or impeding an employee’s ability to move
- Offering employment benefits in exchange for sexual favors, making the employment contingent on engaging in sexual acts, or demanding submission to sexual requests as a condition of remaining employed
- Punishing or threatening punishment in the workplace after a negative response to a sexual advance
Sexual Harassment FAQ's
Have questions? We are here to help. Still have questions or can't find the answer you need? Give us a call at 559-431-4888 today!
-
What is considered sexual harassment?While sexual harassment comes in many forms, there are two main types of sexual harassment, quid pro quo harassment and hostile work environment harassment. Quid pro quo” translates to “something for something.” And it is the type of harassment where a supervisor requires you to engage in sexual conduct in order to obtain an employment benefit. For example, a boss requiring someone to sleep with them in order to obtain a promotion. Hostile work environment is when an employee is subjected to unwanted harassing conduct because of sex, gender, and/or gender expression. The harassment must be so severe that a reasonable person in the victim’s position would have considered the work environment to be hostile or abusive.
-
Can my employer retaliate against me for making a complaint about discrimination or harassment?No. In addition to protecting you from discrimination and harassment, California’s Fair Employment and Housing act also protects employees from being retaliated against on the basis of actions taken related to making complaints or claims about possible violations. Additionally, California has separate whistleblowing laws that may protect you from being retaliated against for making complaints of illegal activity, such as discrimination or harassment. If you believe that you are being retaliated against for your involvement in making a complaint, contact Webb Law Group, APC today for a consultation.
-
What is the statute of limitations for a discrimination case?Like many legal questions, the answer is, “it depends”. There could be a variety of laws that you are suing under, all with different time limitations. And there also might be exceptions or special circumstances to your situation. For example, if you work for a government entity, you may have extra time limitations that require you to take action within six (6) months of the issue. That all said, in California, before you may sue for discrimination, you will need to file a complaint with the Department of Fair Housing and Employment (DFEH) in order to obtain a right to sue notice that will allow you to sue for discrimination. A good rule of thumb is that you will need to have a right to sue letter within one year (1) of the illegal activity, although if you have questions about whether or not you have claims, you should contact an experienced employment attorney to discuss your legal rights.