Sexual Harassment Lawyer Beverly Hills, CA

You deserve to feel safe and comfortable in your workplace. This can be impossible if you are facing sexual harassment in your office. If you or someone you know is dealing with this, contact a sexual harassment lawyer in Beverly Hills, California from Seber Bulger right away. We will speak with you about what has happened, what you have documented, and any other details that may be pertinent to your case. We know it can be difficult to speak about, which is why our lawyers are kind, compassionate, and professional. We will go over the details in a way that makes you feel comfortable and heard so that we can best help you throughout your case. 

What constitutes as sexual harassment in the workplace? 

Sexual harassment is not only something that would involve inappropriate touching. Sexual harassment is comprised of any remarks, touching, or even discrimination in the workplace that occurs and makes an employee feel uncomfortable. There are laws in place that prohibit inappropriate behavior in the workplace and that make it necessary for any supervisors or managers to report this to human resources if an employee mentions that it happened to them. 

Why should you report sexual harassment in the workplace? 

Not only do you deserve to feel safe at work, but so do your coworkers. If someone is making other employees feel uncomfortable, it is crucial that they are addressed and reprimanded for their bad behavior. They need to be held accountable for their inappropriate actions and it is never acceptable to make advances at a colleague at work. Even if you think that the person who made the remarks or actions against you is harmless, you should be protected at work and the person who made you uncomfortable needs to change their behavior. 

How can a lawyer help with sexual harassment in the workplace? 

A lawyer will not only tell you how to navigate through a sexual harassment claim at work, but an experienced sexual harassment lawyer in Beverly Hills, CA from Seber Bulger will also come up with a plan to take action against your company and possibly even the offender if problems are not resolved at work. You may already feel that you deserve compensation for what has happened, in which case you deserve to take the case to court if you want. 

What legal options do you have?

No one should have to face any kind of sexual harassment in the workplace, but unfortunately, it still happens. Luckily, you have a few legal options at your disposal and your lawyer will be able to assist you even further. The first option you’ll want to undertake is talking with your Human Resources department and they will typically have you file a claim. California has stringent sexual harassment and discrimination laws and many times simply going to HR will be enough to resolve the issue especially if your main goal is to no longer have to work with that party. However, depending upon the severity of the harassment you may be entitled to further compensation that would require assistance from an expert legal team. 

If your company fails to cure the situation according to your needs, then you can take your case to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). This commission is responsible for hearing sexual harassment cases and forcing parties to offer remunerations to the affected party. If your employer continues to deny the act happened or denies your demands, your sexual harassment lawyer will be able to help you file a sexual harassment lawsuit against the perpetrator and potentially your company as well. 

How to prepare for the case

If it seems like the only solution is to file a lawsuit and take the perpetrator and/or your company to court, there are a few steps you will want to take to prepare. To begin with, you’ll want to make sure you document as much as you can when it comes to the sexual harassment offenses that occurred. While it might be hard to revisit such instances, doing so can help you and your lawyer build a stronger case. 

Documenting offenses may include anything from jotting down eye-witness testimonies from both you and potentially other employees and saving any physical evidence such as inappropriate text messages or emails, phone calls, etc. You will want to make sure any documentation you make is as detailed as possible including both what was said as well as any parties that were witnesses to the incident. If even after trying methods such as going through Human Resources didn’t resolve the issue, you’ll want to also make documentation of what happened there as well. Such as what any manager said to, what the results were, whether they denied your claim, etc. Doing so can help prove that you tried the conventional methods before going the legal route. 

How to handle the aftermath? 

Following a sexual harassment incident as well as resolving the issue can be a stressful ordeal. You may find that you’ll need some time off to sort things out or may even need to talk to a therapist. This is perfectly natural and you shouldn’t feel bad about this and in many lawsuits, your lawyer can work with you to make sure you receive the necessary compensation that can pay for therapy services to sort through the trauma you’ve received. 

Contact Seber Bulger Today

Reach out to a lawyer from Saber Bulger today to set up a consultation and go over the details of what happened at work. If you were sexually harassed, you deserve justice. Contact our law firm today to get started. We will speak with you in detail about what happened and can give you all of the possible options of moving forward. Do not hesitate. You need to put a stop to other people’s bad behaviors at work to help yourself and anyone else who has fallen victim to the offender.

7 Examples of Sexual Harassment 

When you are experiencing sexual harassment at work, it should never be tolerated and must be stopped immediately, as a Beverly Hills, CA sexual harassment lawyer will tell you. However, understanding what sexual harassment can be difficult because it can appear in many forms, and some are less obvious or straightforward than others. It is critical to know what sexual harassment can look like at any work environment. Below are examples of sexual harassment that you may encounter from a coworker, supervisor or manager at work. 

Unwanted touching

Everyone deserves to feel comfortable at work. When workers touch another person in a way that makes them feel uncomfortable, it is not an appropriate gesture. This includes brief or extended hugs, kisses, putting a hand on someone’s shoulder, touching a person’s thigh, or stroking them on the back. These can be unwelcome signs of touching that can be classified as sexual harassment. 

Sexual compliments

It is never appropriate to give someone a compliment that is sexual in nature. Even if a person has good intentions and wants to give a positive compliment, if it has sexual implications or is explicitly sexual, it is not a compliment that should be given at all. If you have received a sexual compliment that you are not uncomfortable with and the behavior continues, you can report the individual who gave you the compliment so that their actions can be disciplined. 

Discussion of sexual topics 

Another common type of sexual harassment is when a person talks about a story or recounts a personal experience that has sexual undertones or is directly sexual. At any workplace, conversations involving sexual topics that include stories, fantasies or experiences should never be raised. These topics are off limits regardless of whether they are real or invented. These discussions can cause feelings of discomfort. 

Unwanted advancements

A common issue that many workers experience are unwanted advancements. When a worker tries to make an advancement towards another worker, it can be a sign of harassment. If a worker repeatedly asks a coworker to go on a date and continues with their advancements despite getting firmly rejected, it is inappropriate behavior. The worker asking for dates is crossing a boundary and refuses to accept the other worker’s answer. 

Displaying inappropriate photos

Sexual harassment also includes displaying suggestive or explicitly sexual photos, images or videos to another person. Such images should not be sent in the workplace at all. If you have received a sexual photo, image or video that you did not consent to at work, you have a right to file a sexual harassment complaint. 

Insults based on sex or gender 

Insulting comments that are critical of a worker’s sex, gender or sexual orientation are never welcome in the workplace. If you have received any insults or negative comments directed towards your sex, gender or sexual orientation, you can file a formal complaint with the help of a Beverly Hills sexual harassment lawyer like one from Seber Bulger Law. 

If you believe that you have been a victim of sexual harassment, there are legal services that you can turn to. Learn more by scheduling a consultation with a trusted Beverly Hills sexual harassment lawyer in your area.