Sexual Harassment Lawyers San Francisco

Sexual Harassment Lawyers San Francisco

Being sexually harassed on the job is a grim reality, and California law takes a firm stand against such treatment at work. If you believe you are being sexually harassed in your place of employment, seek the skilled legal guidance you need from an experienced sexual harassment lawyer in San Francisco today. 

California Law

California law prohibits sexual harassment at work, and these acts are divided into two primary categories that include:

• Quid pro quo harassment
• Hostile work environment harassment

In California, sexual harassment is defined as conduct that is severe or pervasive enough to make the work environment abusive. While a singular assault may qualify as sexual harassment, the charge generally applies to a series of acts that play out over time. A string of nasty comments made on a daily basis, for instance, is likely pervasive enough to turn up the heat and hostility in the workplace. 

Quid Pro Quo Sexual Harassment

Quid pro quo means something in exchange for something, and this brand of harassment refers to an employer, supervisor, or person in a position of authority on the job either requiring an employee to accept sexual advances – or implying that an employee should accept sexual advances – in order to avoid an adverse consequence, such as the following:

• A bad job review
• Termination
• Failure to receive an earned promotion
• A demotion
• An undesirable transfer

When a favorable work outcome is predicated on an employee’s acceptance of a sexual advance, it is a form of quid pro quo sexual harassment. In order for this claim to apply, however, the person doing the harassment must be a supervisor, boss, manager, or employee who is in a position to take work-related action against the employee who is being harassed. 

Hostile Work Environment Sexual Harassment 

The person or people creating a hostile work environment do not have to be in a position of authority in order to do real damage. As such, anyone in the workplace can be accused of creating a hostile work environment. A hostile work environment in this context refers to engaging in unwanted sexual conduct that renders the workplace intimidating, offensive to reasonable people, or outright hostile. 

The Elements of a Hostile Work Environment Sexual Harassment

In order for the situation in question to rise to the level of a hostile work environment sexual harassment, several elements must be present, including:

• The harassment must be based on the victim’s sex, which means that it need not be sexual in nature but must target the victim’s gender. Further, you don’t have to be the target of harassment to suffer the consequences of a hostile work environment and to bring a claim. 
• The harassing conduct cannot be welcomed by the victim. Going along with something because you feel like you don’t have a choice (in terms of protecting your job) is not the same as welcoming the harassment. 
• The harassing conduct in question cannot be offensive only to the claimant in question but must be found objectively offensive, which means that it would likely offend other reasonable people in similar situations.
  

Consult with an Experienced Sexual Harassment Lawyer in San Francisco Today

The trusted sexual harassment lawyers at Olivier & Schreiber P.C. in San Francisco understand how difficult experiencing sexual harassment on the job is and are committed to fighting for your claim’s optimal outcome. Learn more by contacting us today.