Recent Blog Posts
What is the Legal Definition of Sexual Harassment?
Federal and California state law prohibit sexual harassment in the workplace. Many employees and employers are not clear on what actually constitutes sexual harassment. Is it harassment to ask out another employee on a date, should they refuse? Is it only harassment if a supervisor threatens to fire an employee for refusing a sexual… Read More »
Bystander Effect of Workplace Harassment
There’s a famous saying (often misattributed to Edmund Burke but poignant nevertheless): “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” Workplace harassment is a form of evil experienced by people around the United States daily. It may take the form of “hostile work environment” harassment–words and… Read More »
What is an IME?
If you have been injured and filed a claim for workers’ compensation or personal injury, you might have been directed to participate in an independent medical examination (IME) or qualified medical evaluation. It can be confusing to know which type of medical examination applies under which circumstances and how they might affect your claims…. Read More »
What to Do if Employer Ignores Harassment Claim
In the State of California, employees are protected against harassment in the workplace. You have the right to be free from sexual harassment as well as harassment based on any other protected characteristic such as race, gender, sexual orientation, or religion. You have the right to be free from quid pro quo harassment as… Read More »
Quid Pro Quo Harassment in the Workplace: What is It?
California and federal laws prohibit sexual harassment in the workplace. There are different forms of sexual harassment, and it is not always easy to detect. Many people have heard the phrase “quid pro quo” harassment but are not clear on what that actually means in the labor law context. Continue reading to learn about… Read More »
Discrimination in Employment Layoffs During COVID-19
The novel coronavirus pandemic has wreaked havoc on the economy. Supply chains have suffered interruptions, shops were forced to shutter their doors for months on end, and employees have needed significantly more sick days to avoid spreading the virus. Many businesses have been forced to downsize as a means of cost-cutting, even with government… Read More »
What is a Third-Party Harassment Claim? Is My Employer Liable?
California and federal laws protect you against sexual harassment in the workplace. Your employer is directly liable should you be sexually harassed or be subjected to hostile workplace harassment committed by a supervisor. If you are harassed by a coworker, your employer may also be liable under certain circumstances. But what happens if you… Read More »
What Does the Silenced No More Act Mean for Workers in CA?
Sexual harassment and discrimination in the workplace are not vestiges of the past. Workplace discrimination is a very real problem in modern workplaces around the country, in California and elsewhere. California lawmakers have taken a number of steps in recent years to promote worker rights and worker safety, including by limiting the power of… Read More »
Steps for Responding to Sexual Harassment in the Workplace
No one should be forced to endure sexual harassment in the workplace. It’s despicable, immoral, and illegal. Many employees who experience sexual harassment in the workplace, however, do not know how best to respond. It can be difficult to balance the interpersonal and professional relationships affected while reeling from the psychological trauma such harassment… Read More »
Can You Sue Employer for Harassment While Working From Home
The COVID-19 pandemic changed our understanding of the workplace, potentially irreversibly. Many companies that moved to remote work during the pandemic have decided to keep employees on remote work part-time or full-time, or at least give employees the option to do so. Working remotely removes much of the hassle of working in an office… Read More »