Los Angeles Online Sexual Harassment in the Workplace Lawyer
Los Angeles Online Sexual Harassment in the Workplace Attorney
Dealing with sexual harassment in the workplace can be a stressful ordeal, especially if you are trying to compile your case without the help of seasoned legal counsel. These days, sexual harassment can also occur in the virtual workplace through the use of cell phones, laptops, webcams, and video chat websites that may be vital to your daily workload.
Online sexual harassment can be just as hurtful as having to suffer it in person, but a Los Angeles online sexual harassment in the workplace lawyer can help you.
Online Sexual Harassment in the Workplace
Sexual harassment occurs when you are subjected to unwanted sexual advances, jokes, innuendos, and actions. This can also create a hostile work environment for you. It can make you feel threatened, degraded, intimidated, disgusted, and wronged all at the same time. If you are ever the unfortunate victim of sexual harassment in the workplace, it is vital that you take the necessary steps to protect yourself and gather evidence for a future claim.
Under California state law, every employer who hires at least five people must also provide comprehensive sexual harassment prevention training for their employees. If the employer does not provide this training, they could be subject to legal action by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, or EEOC, as well as the California Department of Civil Rights.
Online sexual harassment is not all that different from in-person sexual harassment. The only real difference is that it is done through online chat rooms, video calls, texting, email, and the Internet. It is just as disrespectful and inappropriate as in-person sexual harassment, but it can be easier to prove, thanks to how easy it can be to record video calls and document emails.
What Is Online Sexual Harassment?
Online sexual harassment is not gender-specific. It can be done by men and women alike and be subject to the same kind of potential legal action as in-person sexual harassment. Any sort of undesired behavior that’s sexual in nature and occurs through a device can be considered online sexual harassment.
If you are subject to online sexual harassment, you should consider saving the videos, audio, or texts as evidence and reporting this behavior to your supervisor or HR department. Here are two examples of behavior that could be considered online sexual harassment:
Unwanted Sexual Conversation
It goes without saying that you should never discuss topics of a sexual nature in the workplace. This goes for virtual workplaces too. Working remotely often requires video conference sites and online chat rooms to speak with coworkers, supervisors, clients, and managers throughout the day.
If someone says something to you in a sexual way, even if they try to defend themselves by claiming they’re joking, it could be considered online sexual harassment. It can be inappropriate to engage in sexual conversation in the workplace, even if it’s online.
Explicit Content
If, at any time during your work day, a coworker sends you an explicit image of a sexual nature, that could be considered online sexual harassment. Explicit images, content, videos, or audio files are inappropriate for the workplace and could result in a sexual harassment claim being made against the sender. Be sure to save all this material as evidence to give to your sexual harassment lawyer.
FAQs On Online Sexual Harassment in the Workplace
Q: What Is the Average Sexual Harassment Settlement Amount?
A: The average sexual harassment settlement amount does not indicate what a person may receive in their case, as every sexual harassment case is different. Without knowing the details of the situation, it is impossible to estimate a settlement amount from a sexual harassment case, as the facts surrounding each case are going to be unique to that case.
One case’s settlement amount has no bearing on another case’s settlement amount, even if they may appear similar. Certain factors have to be taken into consideration when determining an amount.
Q: What Qualifies as a Hostile Work Environment?
A: A hostile work environment is any workplace that has fostered a toxic culture of:
- Unwelcome behavior
- Frequent harassment
- Bullying
- Discrimination
- Retaliation
- Any other poor and inappropriate behaviors
many employees are not happy there and are actively seeking employment elsewhere. Management has done nothing to improve morale. All of this is constantly affecting your job performance and mental health. These are only some of the qualities of a hostile work environment.
Q: Do Employees Get Fired for Harassment?
A: Yes, an employee can get fired for harassment. There are no guarantees that they will definitely get fired, but it absolutely could happen. It depends on:
- The nature of the incident
- The details of the settlement agreement
- The evidence against the employee
- Whether the employee has broken the law
If you are ever accused of workplace harassment, you should immediately speak with an attorney and comply with your company’s policy for dealing with harassment accusations.
Q: How Do You Punish an Employee for Harassment?
A: There are many different ways to punish an employee for engaging in harassing behavior. The punishment depends entirely on the company and its internal processes for dealing with harassment. Some companies may simply terminate the employee to send the message that harassment will not be tolerated. Other companies may wish to issue a verbal or written warning, insist that the employee attend mandatory counseling, or transfer the employee to a different department.
Reach Out to a Sexual Harassment Attorney Today
Online sexual harassment can be just as detrimental to your mental health and job performance as in-person sexual harassment. Just because the harasser is hidden behind a computer screen, it doesn’t make your feelings any less important.
If online sexual harassment ever happens to you, it is vital that you document the incident as effectively as you can, report the behavior in accordance with your company policy, and speak with an attorney to know what your options are.
Diefer Law Group, P.C., can help you develop your sexual harassment case, gather any evidence that supports your claim, and fully advocate on your behalf throughout the entire process. It can be tough dealing with a harassment case on your own. Contact us to speak with one of our compassionate team members and schedule a consultation.
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