HAS A CO-WORKER OR BOSS BEEN INAPPROPRIATELY TOUCHING YOU AT YOUR BAY AREA JOB? THIS IS SEXUAL HARASSMENT. CALL EMPLOYMENT ATTORNEYS FOR GUIDANCE ON DEALING WITH THIS ILLEGAL BEHAVIOR.
Sexual harassment is a growing concern in the California workplace. The Equal Employment and Opportunity Commission (EEOC) received 12,510 allegations of sexual harassment in 2007 and 13,867 allegations in 2008. The EEOC recovered $47 million in damages for sexual harassment cases in 2008 alone. Sexual harassment is a complex area of law. There are two basic types of sexual harassment. The first type of sexual harassment is quid-pro-quo harassment. This type of harassment occurs when an employer asks an employee for a sexual favor in exchange for a work related benefit. Quid-pro-quo harassment also works in the reverse. Therefore, quid-pro-quo harassment also includes when an employer threatened to fire an employee unless she sleeps with him.
The second type of sexual harassment is known as the “hostile work environment.” This type of harassment occurs when an employee is made to feel uncomfortable because of his or her sex because of something that a boss, co-worker or supervisor says or does. In order for the hostile work environment to be present, the co-worker’s conduct must not only be offensive, but it must also be severe and pervasive. This means that if a boss makes a one-time lewd joke, this is likely not hostile work environment harassment. However, if your boss makes repeated offensive sexual jokes, this may very well be hostile work environment harassment.
The EEOC recently brought a case against a historic inn and spa. The inn allegedly allowed several female employees to be continually sexually harassed. The lawsuit alleges that male employees repeated engaged in offensive behavior including grabbing women’s breasts, humping women, slapping female worker’s buttocks, and kissing them. If you have also been a victim of sexual harassment at your job, you should stand up for your rights. The attorneys at Greenberg & Rudman LLP are here to help you. You can reach us at 1-800-ALAWPRO or 1-800-252-9776 for a free consultation. You can also visit us at www.discriminationattorney.com to learn more.
