East Los Angeles Sexual Harassment Lawyer

East Los Angeles has a busy economy with lots of opportunities in high-end retail, professional services, finance, and insurance, to name just a few industries with a presence in the area. Unfortunately, sexual harassment is a pervasive issue in all industries in the United States, and it is vital to know what you can do if you encounter this at work. An East Los Angeles sexual harassment lawyer can be a valuable resource in this difficult situation.

The attorneys at the Diefer Law Group have proven experience handling many types of sexual harassment cases for workers in East Los Angeles:

• Quid pro quo sexual harassment usually involves a proposed exchange of sexual favors. For example, a supervisor may offer their subordinate job-related benefits in exchange for sex, or they may threaten job-related penalties if the employee does not perform sexual favors.
• A hostile work environment can develop due to sexual remarks, crude jokes, unwanted sexual advances, displays of pornographic material in the workplace, or other behavior in the workplace that interferes with the victim’s ability to perform their job duties.
• Unwanted touching can reach the point of criminal behavior. Once touching has reached the point of sexual assault, such as groping or battery, the defendant not only faces civil liability for the damages they caused but also criminal prosecution. In California, sexual assault can be charged as a misdemeanor or as a felony, depending on the severity of the defendant’s behavior.

These are just a few examples of how sexual harassment can manifest in the workplace. Every employer in California is required to have an internal policy and conflict resolution system in place when an employee experiences sexual harassment, but sometimes, these options fail to produce meaningful results for victims.

If you believe you have experienced this mistreatment and your employer has failed to take appropriate corrective action, you should consult an East Los Angeles sexual harassment lawyer at the Diefer Law Group at your first opportunity. They will know how to gather evidence to support your case.

Before you can proceed with a civil lawsuit for sexual harassment, you will need to submit a complaint to the EEOC and have the agency investigate the matter. The EEOC may reach out to you and/or your employer for more information, and if they believe your claim is valid, they will deliver their findings. They may initiate legal proceedings against your employer or provide you with a Notice of Right to Sue that allows you to proceed with your lawsuit.

Many sexual harassment cases in East Los Angeles are multifaceted and touch on various areas of employment law. For example, if you were fired because you refused a quid pro quo offer from your employer, you would have grounds for legal recourse for wrongful termination. If you suffered physical harm from a sexual assault at work, the defendant faces criminal charges along with liability for the damages they inflicted.

It’s possible for a successful sexual harassment case in California to yield various forms of compensation for the victim. They may be able to recover full repayment of any economic losses they suffered, such as medical expenses, the cost of new job searches, transportation costs, out-of-pocket medical expenses after losing insurance coverage, and legal expenses. It is also possible for the victim to claim compensation for their pain and suffering.

Employers can face various penalties for allowing sexual harassment to happen in their workplaces. They may not only face reputational harm from an EEOC complaint but also be forced to implement new training and new policies that may require significant investment. Additionally, the EEOC typically fines companies for sexual harassment, and the amount a company pays usually depends on how many employees they have.

Your East Los Angeles sexual harassment lawyer can help you negotiate a fair settlement for your civil suit, or they can represent you in any litigation necessary for resolving the case. Ultimately, every sexual harassment case unfolds in different ways, but the majority of these cases in California are resolved through pretrial settlement negotiations.