Have you been mistreated in your workplace? Has a coworker made you feel uncomfortable about your sexual orientation? Did your employer use slurs or make inappropriate comments about your medical condition? Maybe you were offered a promotion or pay raise in exchange for sexual favors, which is considered quid pro quo harassment.
If you answered yes and your complaints have been ignored, your workplace is a hostile environment and your legal rights have been violated.
In the state of California, workplace harassment that creates hostile environments that sometimes leads to wrongful termination violates many labor laws and your rights.
What to Do If You Find Yourself in a Hostile Work Environment
Should you find yourself in a hostile work environment, it’s important to take the following steps:
- First, tell the coworker who is harassing you to stop immediately
- Next, report the harassment right away to your manager
- If your manager fails to act, file a complaint with your company’s human resources department to create a record of evidence
- Seek legal help from a lawyer who knows California law and can help you take legal action
How to Prove a Hostile Work Environment Case
While there are government recognized labor laws to protect you in a hostile work environment, it’s important to understand what a hostile work environment is.
To some, a hostile workplace could be policies that they don’t agree with, but they usually aren’t against the law or considered workplace harassment. Workplace harassment includes:
- A coworker or coworkers commenting inappropriately about your sexual orientation.
- Sexual harassment can include harassing someone about their marital status or offering a pay raise or promotion in exchange for sexual favors.
- A hostile environment can also be created when an employee with a disability, physical or mental, is harassed or treated unfairly because of their medical condition. This is a direct violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
- If a person acts as a whistleblower and reports a hostile workplace and experiences harassing behavior or wrongful termination.
There are several ways to prove a hostile workplace with the help of an employment law attorney who knows California laws and how they apply to workplace discrimination and the California Fair Employment and Housing Act.
Can I Sue My Employer for Creating a Hostile Work Environment?
If you think you’ve been mistreated and subjected to a hostile work environment, contact HKM Employment Attorneys in San Diego for legal help. When you schedule a consultation with HKM Employment Attorneys, we will discuss your claims and give you legal advice that can help you decide if it’s necessary to sue your employer.
The law office of HKM Employment Attorneys wants to make sure you get the legal help you need. Schedule a Consultation today to learn about your legal rights and how the right employment attorney can help protect them and you.
Call 619-717-6409or fill out this form and we will get back to you ASAP.