Costa Mesa Harassment Lawyer

You should feel safe and protected while at your place of work. If you have been a victim of harassment in the workplace, a Costa Mesa harassment lawyer can help. It can be intimidating to speak up for yourself. It is vital to have representation on your side that knows your rights. At California Employment Counsel, APC, we proudly focus on workplace harassment and discrimination cases, defending and advocating for the employee throughout the case.

Workplace harassment is a serious issue. Not only can it affect one’s ability to perform their job, but it can also make the workplace hostile, uncomfortable, and unwelcoming. Though sexual harassment is the most common form of harassment, it is not the only kind employees face while on or off the clock.

If you feel you have been harassed, endured emotional distress, or have unfairly been terminated, you have the right to file a legal claim against your employer. Hire a harassment lawyer today to get started.

Harassment in the workplace can happen to anyone. In California, workplace harassment can come in many forms. A Costa Mesa harassment attorney can help if you’ve faced harassment at your place of work due to:

• Gender. This includes, but is not limited to, being treated differently because of your gender.
• Age. This applies to harassment toward the young and or the elderly.
• Disability. This applies to all disability, whether physical, mental, or otherwise.
• Race. This includes harassment based on citizenship, immigration status, native language, or accent.
• Sexual orientation. This can also include marital and familial status as reasons for the harassment.

In a recent mental health study in the UK, 37% of employees ages 18-29 were formally diagnosed with a mental health condition that could affect their performance at work. In the same study, 72% of LGBTQ+ employees have experienced a mental health condition directly linked to their workplace.

This highlights the immense but silent pressures and afflictions employees might be facing at the workplace, making upholding employee rights even more vital in the face of workplace harassment.

Not just contained to playgrounds and children, bullying is also a form of workplace harassment. Bullying can come in many forms, a common form being verbal. It is common for bullying in the workplace to come from those in positions of power, and often, such behavior, while unacceptable and inappropriate, is considered part of the business culture.

Any language or behavior in the workplace that makes you feel threatened, humiliated, insulted, discriminated against, or uncomfortable could qualify as bullying and or harassment in the workplace.

Harassment is not always a physical incident, nor is it always direct. Unwanted or inappropriate touching, language, suggestions, pictures, or jokes might be considered harassment. Workplace harassment falls under two main categories: hostile work environments and quid pro quo sexual harassment.

A hostile work environment is created when any harassment due to an employee’s protected characteristics is present on any level. Under California law, these characteristics are defined as:

• Race
• Citizenship
• Religion
• Disability
• Gender
• Sexual orientation
• Marital or familial status
• Income
• Veteran status
• Age

Hostile work environments can be created by a coworker, a boss, or a group of people in the workplace. Hostile work environments and harassment can come in the form of verbal or physical, through words or an email, or with or without witnesses. The biggest signal that you might be facing such an environment is if you feel comfortable and or safe at work.

Any sexual favors, overt or implied, in exchange for benefits related to the job is known as quid pro quo (this for that) sexual harassment.

Sexual harassment in the workplace is serious. Like any form of workplace harassment, it can interfere with an employee’s ability to complete their job in the day-to-day as well as in the long term. Also, like the other forms of workplace harassment, sexual harassment is not limited to one gender or group of people. Sexual harassment can happen to men, women, and people of the same sex. While physical sexual assault might be the more commonly villainized form of workplace harassment, sexual harassment can also look like:

• Unwanted pressure for a date
• Stalking
• Unwanted comments about one’s body or appearance
• Unwanted touching, groping, or kissing
• Sexually explicit language or jokes
• Creating a sexual or hostile work environment

While handling your case, we will also ensure your place of employment takes the necessary and correct steps in internally investigating and responding to the claims. This can sometimes bring to light employer retaliation. Employer retaliation is when the employer seemingly punishes the victim instead of following lawful protocol. Retaliation can look like:

• Unwarranted firing or demotion
• Schedule or placement adjustments that are aimed at punishing the victim
• Negative performance reviews that differ from the victim’s actual performance

It is important to document transgressions in the workplace so that our defense attorneys can build a solid case on your behalf.

Harassment is unlike other legal matters in the workplace in that sometimes there is no physical damage. In a workplace harassment case, our Costa Mesa harassment attorneys will evaluate all damages owed to you, including back pay for any work missed, emotional distress, and punitive damages to deter similar future transgressions. While we cannot undo what you endured, we can help you get what you are due.

In California, workers and prospective applicants are protected under a number of labor laws throughout the application, hiring, and employment process. It is important to note that any complaints of workplace harassment must be filed within one year of the incident.

You can easily file your claim or retrieve the proper forms. There are a number of justice centers in the Orange County region. In Costa Mesa, the nearest Superior Court of California is located at Costa Mesa Justice Complex, 3390 Harbor Blvd.

You should never feel unsafe at your place of work, least of all due to your coworkers, those in charge, or the company. Harassment in the workplace can be difficult to define or prove without proper representation. If you or someone you know has been impacted by workplace harassment, do not wait. Contact California Employment Counsel, APC, today and let us help you.