Los Angeles Sexual Harassment Attorneys

Welcome to Miracle Mile Law Group. We are a plaintiff-only law firm representing employees in the workplace through California including Los Angeles. If you or a loved one has been experiencing sexual harassment while at work, you may have a case. We encourage you to speak to our Los Angeles Sexual Harassment Attorneys specializing in sexual harassment and a case for your damages caused due to your employer’s workplace. Workplace sexual harassment can take on many forms; it can be physical, verbal, or nonverbal. Often, people at the receiving end of minor and even severe harassment based on their gender identity, sexual orientation, or gender expression do not know for sure whether their rights have been violated or who they can turn to for timely advice. As a Los Angeles employee, you are protected against sexual harassment in the workplace. The Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) forbid sexual harassment in the workplace. California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) offers maximum protection against workplace sexual harassment and it’s applicable to all employers.  Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 in this case, however, is only applicable to companies that employ 15 or more workers.

If you have had to deal with offensive conduct in the workplace, which constitutes sexual harassment, you may have a claim and it is recommended to speak to our Los Angeles employment law firm. To find out more about the applicable federal/state laws and discuss the merits of your case, contact our Los Angles sexual harassment attorneys today.

The Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 treats sexual harassment against a job applicant or an employee as a type of workplace sexual discrimination. Title VII is enforced by the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (U.S. EEOC). Charges filed with the EEOC are investigated by the Commission. Victims can seek professional assistance from experienced Los Angeles sexual harassment lawyers when they file a charge.

In this case, sexual harassment can assume different forms. It is not necessary for the victim and the harasser to be of the opposite gender. The victim or the harasser can be a man or a woman.

Sexual harassment may include unwelcome sexual advances, verbal/non-verbal conduct of sexual nature, or direct/indirect demands for sexual favors, in the event where the victim’s employment status may change based on whether they accept or reject such conduct.

Not many victims realize that sexual harassment need not always be ‘sexual in nature. Abusive remarks or insults based on a person’s sex may also constitute workplace sexual harassment. So, an occasional offhand comment or caustic remarks at work meetings that are not very serious do not qualify as workplace sexual harassment. But, the law forbids employers or supervisors from harassing a worker by consistently making abusive comments about their gender or sexual orientation in general.

At times, such conduct results in a hostile work environment so severe for a worker that they have to take or are forced to accept adverse employment decisions like dismissal, demotion, change of assignments, relocation, etc. The harasser can be a victim’s co-worker, supervisor, manager, or supervisor from a different company office/facility.

Through the Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the EEOC can protect a Los Angeles employee against sexual harassment even when the harasser is not directly employed by the employer i.e. the harasser can be a customer or a client.

Although many organizations have been keen to discourage and punish workplace sexual harassment, such conduct is still rampant in modern workplaces. Over 6,500 cases of sexual harassment were filed with the EEOC during the Financial Year2020. Many victims do not report such incidents or seek legal assistance simply because they do not know about the laws that exist to protect their rights or fail to consult attorneys specializing in handling workplace sexual harassment claims in Los Angeles.

Sexual harassment at work in Los Angeles or elsewhere can include a variety of behavior. So, it is often difficult for people with little or no understanding of applicable federal and state laws to tell whether they have legal protection. Yes, explicit sexual assault or seeking sexual favors will be legally considered as ‘sexual harassment,’ there are numerous other actions and behaviors that may be viewed as sexual harassment in the legal sense. In either case, hiring a top Los Angeles sexual harassment attorney is advisable.

As per California Fair Employment & Housing Act (FEHA), sexual harassment can be broadly classified as:

1. Quid Pro Sexual harassment: This type of workplace sexual harassment occurs when the harasser seeks sexual favors in exchange for a punishment or a reward. In the case of quid pro (this for that) sexual harassment, the perpetrator should have some kind of authority about the victim’s employment status. A supervisor, for example, may demand that a victim agrees to his sexual advances if:

• The victim wishes to avoid being fired
• The victim wants to avoid poor performance reviews
• The victim wants to get a promotion, better job assignment, bonus or opportunity for career growth

The threat or promise coming from the harasser does not always have to be explicit in nature. However, the harasser typically makes it clear to the victim that their current employment status will undergo a positive or negative change based on whether they accept or reject the demands.

2. Hostile Work Environment Sexual Harassment

As discussed in the case of the violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, pervasive conduct on the basis of your sex or gender identity can result in hostile work environment. In this type of workplace sexual harassment, the harasser does not make a promise or a threat. So, the harasser does not have to be someone having some sort of control over your employment status.

Hostile work environment sexual harassment can include cases where a coworker makes insulting comments based on your sex, sends you vulgar videos, or shares sexual content in any other format.

At Miracle Miles Law Group, our Los Angeles sexual harassment lawyers work to establish that objectionable conduct on part of the harasser, whether it’s a supervisor, coworker, client, or customer, is based on your sex.

Next, we document evidence that establishes that such conduct is pervasive enough to have caused a hostile work environment for you.

Lastly, we need to demonstrate that the offensive behavior on part of the harasser was ‘unwelcome.’ Keep in mind that in legal terms, unwelcome is not the same as nonconsensual. Often, victims consent to sexual harassment because they don’t want to lose their jobs.

We can help you get compensated for emotional distress, lost wages, punitive damages, reinstatement, and legal fees. Our goal is to defend your rights as a Los Angeles worker and get you the maximum compensation for your sexual harassment claim.

In California, employers with at least five employees are required by law to provide sexual harassment prevention & abuse conductive prevention training to all employees. The Department of Fair Employment and Housing makes these training programs available online for free.  Such training programs can also be organized as group presentations, or in some other format. Employers in Los Angeles are required by law:

• To provide one hour of sexual harassment prevention & abuse conductive prevention training to all nonsupervisory workers
• To provide two hours of sexual harassment prevention & abuse conductive prevention training to all supervisory workers such as managers, supervisors, and those responsible for overseeing workers or managing their daily job responsibilities.
• To provide aforementioned training at least once every two years
•  Until the end of 2020, organizations that employed at least 50 workers had an obligation to provide such training to all supervisory employees with six months of their joining; since January 1, 2021, all new supervisory or nonsupervisory workers need to be provided sexual harassment training within six months of hire
• ·         To train employees with the help of practical examples of workplace sexual harassment; the harassment can be based on a worker’s gender identity or sexual orientation

Failure of an employer to provide such training can help a victim strengthen their case. Companies need to fulfill this legal requirement if they are hiring a temporary or seasonal worker. For instance, if someone is hired for a period shorter than six months, they must be trained within 100 hours of work or 30 calendar days, whichever is earlier. Employers aren’t required to provide sexual harassment training to interns who aren’t paid anything, volunteers, or independent, third-party contractors.

Companies are legally required to keep records of all such training programs conducted for employees for at least two years. To find out if you have a legal recourse or grounds to pursue a sexual harassment claim in Los Angeles, contact our employment law office anytime.

Our Los Angeles sexual harassment attorneys at Miracle Mile Law Group are dedicated to ensuring that workers have the right to a safe and harassment-free work environment. Have you been sexually harassed at a Los Angeles job? Do you know someone who has been sexually harassed at work in LA? Our Los Angeles sexual harassment attorney can assist you.

To learn more about your workplace rights, potential claims, and how California and Federal laws protect you against workplace sexual harassment, contact Miracle Mile Law Group today. We are available 24/7.