How Harassment Lawyers San Francisco Help Employees Navigate Workplace Misconduct

Workplace harassment is still prevalent in many areas of industry and has an impact on the mental health, development of a worker and their safety. The laws of California protect employees against harassment due to specific characteristics identified by legislators as protected e.g. race, sex, sexual orientation, nationality, and religion. At the forefront of enforcing these protections are dedicated legal professionals including the team of Harassment lawyers San Francisco employees rely on for informed thorough representation such as those at Minnis & Smallets LLP.

California Definition of Workplace Harassment

According to the Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) of California, one cannot engage in harassment in the workplace on the basis of their membership of a discriminated category. As opposed to mere differences of opinion or isolated acts of misconduct that are just unpleasant, unlawful harassment constitutes a method of conduct that is either very severe or is constantly recurring so that it generates a threatening, hostile or unpleasant work environment.

The most typical ways are the application of slurs, epithets, threats, offensive jokes or images, and unwanted body touches. Notably, not only supervisors but also co-workers, clients, or even third party vendors may be responsible for such behavior. The employers can be charged in both state and federal charges in the event of being informed of such conduct and not taking the appropriate action as required.

Sexual Harassment- Not Just Unwanted Advances

Sexual harassment is one of the most publicized acts of workplace harassment. There are two major sections of which it can be grouped as hostile work environment and quid pro quo harassment. Hostility on the job covers unsolicited sexual advances, remarks, or activities that hamper the performance of a worker. Quid pro quo harassment is a situation in which someone promises someone with a job benefit in exchange for some sexual activity, or even the denial of the benefit on wrong reasons, including refusal to engage in sexual bait.

By working with harassment lawyers San Francisco workers can seek accountability and begin the process of restoring their professional lives.

Legal Remedies and Responsibility of Employers

It is the duty of the employers to act upon and take necessary forms of action once they hear of any form of harassment at the workplace. There is the inclusion of investigation of complaints and acting swiftly against complaints and the follow up of ensuring retaliation does not happen.

Unluckily, in most incidents, employers do not take actions or take a move to discourage employees against disclosure. Even retribution, be it through dismissal, through demotion, or through ostracizing among others is also against the law. Both types of victims (harassment victims and retaliation victims) can receive monetary awards in form of compensatory losses such as lost wages, emotional distress and others.

The first step in a claim is usually an internal report followed by a complaint being registered to a government agency e.g. the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) or the Department of Fair Employment and Housing in California (DFEH). There might be cases when litigation has to be taken in order to obtain full and fair compensation.

The problem of workplace harassment is still a disruptive aspect of the workforce and an issue that requires legal and social approach, but the legal system of California offers a strong defense in the face of wrongdoers to the aggrieved employee. Regardless of the issue that a person may be dealing with sexual harassment, hostility due to race, or some other form of unlawful abuse, immediate legal response is not only helpful but also liberating.

The Minnis & Smallets LLP is the firm that any employee will be happy to contact at the moment of such tensions in his/her life. With a focused approach and comprehensive legal support the firm’s harassment lawyers San Francisco employees turn to are prepared to help victims assert their rights and achieve meaningful outcomes.

In case you suspect that you have been harassed in the workplace it is advisable to contact a lawyer who can assist you in knowing the available course of action and seek justice through the court of law.