Dedicated Employment Harassment Attorneys Serving Riverside, CA
Whether you’re an employee facing unwanted advances, hostile environments, or retaliation for reporting misconduct, our experienced attorneys are here to guide you. We handle cases from initial consultations through litigation, ensuring cost-effective solutions while prioritizing your recovery and justice. With a track record of securing substantial settlements and verdicts, we serve clients across Riverside County, including areas like Moreno Valley, Corona, and Jurupa Valley. Our approach is tailored to your needs, drawing on deep knowledge of local courts and state regulations to achieve the best outcomes.
If you’ve experienced harassment at work, don’t navigate this alone. Contact our Riverside employment harassment lawyer today for a free, confidential evaluation. We’re committed to holding employers accountable and helping you reclaim your dignity and compensation.
Understanding California Employment Laws on Harassment
California boasts some of the nation’s most protective employment laws, often surpassing federal standards to safeguard workers from harassment and discrimination. At the core is the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), which prohibits harassment based on protected characteristics such as sex, race, religion, age, disability, and more. Unlike federal laws like Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, FEHA applies to employers with as few as one employee for harassment claims, offering broader protections.
Key aspects of these laws include:
- Prohibition of Hostile Work Environments: Harassment doesn’t need to be severe or pervasive to be actionable if it creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive workplace.
- Employer Liability: Companies can be held responsible for harassment by supervisors, co-workers, or even non-employees if they knew or should have known about it and failed to act.
- Retaliation Protections: Employees who report harassment or participate in investigations are shielded from adverse actions like demotion or termination.
- Statute of Limitations: Under FEHA, you generally have three years from the last incident to file a complaint with the Civil Rights Department (CRD), formerly the DFEH.
Additionally, laws like the California Labor Code address related issues such as wage disputes intertwined with harassment claims, while the California Family Rights Act (CFRA) ensures leave rights aren’t weaponized in harassing behaviors. For Riverside workers, these laws are crucial in industries where shift work or high-pressure environments can exacerbate issues. Our attorneys stay abreast of evolving case law, including recent decisions emphasizing mental health impacts of harassment, to provide cutting-edge representation.
Navigating these laws requires expertise. If you’re unsure whether your experience qualifies as harassment, our team can assess your situation and explain your rights clearly.
What Constitutes Workplace Harassment in Riverside?
Workplace harassment is any unwelcome conduct based on a protected characteristic that alters the conditions of employment or creates a hostile environment. In Riverside’s diverse job market, harassment can manifest in subtle or overt ways, affecting productivity and mental health. Unlike discrimination, which often involves adverse actions like firing, harassment focuses on the conduct itself.
Common forms include:
- Verbal Harassment: Insults, jokes, slurs, or comments about race, gender, age, or disability. For example, repeated derogatory remarks about an employee’s accent in a multicultural warehouse setting.
- Physical Harassment: Unwanted touching, blocking movement, or gestures that intimidate.
- Visual Harassment: Displaying offensive images, emails, or memes via company devices.
- Cyber Harassment: Harassing messages on work platforms or social media tied to employment.
Employers must maintain policies to prevent and address harassment, including mandatory training under AB 1825 for supervisors. Failure to do so can lead to liability.
If you’ve endured such behavior, document incidents, report internally if safe, and consult our Riverside employment harassment attorney promptly to preserve evidence.
Types of Employment Harassment We Handle in Riverside
Our Riverside employment harassment lawyers have extensive experience with various harassment types, adapting strategies to Riverside’s local context. Here’s an overview:
Sexual Harassment
Sexual harassment remains one of the most reported issues, encompassing quid pro quo (favors for advances) and hostile environments. In Riverside’s healthcare and education sectors, where power imbalances exist, this can include unwanted advances from superiors or colleagues. California law, bolstered by #MeToo-era reforms, requires employers to investigate promptly. Victims may recover lost wages, emotional distress damages, and punitive awards. We’ve secured multimillion-dollar settlements for clients facing repeated propositions or retaliatory actions after refusals.
Racial and Ethnic Harassment
Riverside’s rich cultural diversity, with significant Hispanic, Asian, and Black communities, unfortunately sees racial harassment in forms like ethnic slurs or stereotyping. Federal and state laws prohibit this, and we’ve represented workers in logistics firms where biased comments created toxic atmospheres. Rights include compensation for humiliation and job loss, with employers liable for failing to intervene.
Age-Based Harassment
For workers over 40, age harassment might involve mocking “old-school” methods or pressuring retirement. In Riverside’s manufacturing industry, this can lead to isolation or unfair assignments. The Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) and FEHA protect against this, allowing claims for back pay and reinstatement.
Disability Harassment
Harassing someone due to a physical or mental disability, or perceived one, violates the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and FEHA. Examples include mocking accommodations or spreading rumors about conditions like anxiety. Our firm helps clients secure reasonable accommodations and damages, especially in Riverside’s growing service sectors.
Religious Harassment
With Riverside’s varied faith communities, religious harassment might target prayer practices or attire. Employers must accommodate reasonably, such as allowing breaks for religious observances. We’ve assisted clients facing mockery of their beliefs, recovering for emotional harm.
Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation Harassment
California leads in protections for LGBTQ+ workers. Harassment based on gender expression or orientation, like misgendering or exclusion, is illegal. In progressive yet varied Riverside workplaces, we fight for inclusive environments and substantial remedies.
Retaliatory Harassment
Often following complaints, retaliation can be subtle harassment to force resignation. Protected under FEHA, we’ve won cases where employers escalated hostility post-report.
In all cases, we emphasize early intervention to prevent escalation and maximize recovery.
Common Riverside Employment Issues Related to Harassment
Beyond pure harassment, related issues arise:
Wrongful Termination Linked to Harassment Complaints
Firing someone for reporting harassment is illegal retaliation. In Riverside, where at-will employment prevails, we prove connections to protected activity, securing reinstatement or severance.
Wage and Bonus Disputes in Harassing Environments
Harassment can lead to denied promotions or bonuses. We review contracts to recover earned compensation.
Severance Agreements Post-Harassment
Severance often includes releases of claims. We negotiate fair terms, ensuring you don’t waive rights unknowingly.
Whistleblower Retaliation
Blowing the whistle on harassment or safety issues protects you from reprisals. Our attorneys safeguard whistleblowers in Riverside’s industrial settings.
Why Choose Our Riverside Employment Harassment Lawyers?
What sets us apart:
- Proven Track Record: Over $225 million recovered, including landmark harassment verdicts that have set precedents in California courts and inspired broader workplace reforms.
- Client-Centered Approach: Compassionate, personalized service with 24/7 availability, ensuring you’re supported every step of the way, from emotional guidance to strategic planning tailored to your unique situation.
- Local Expertise: Deep knowledge of Riverside courts, judges, and mediators, allowing us to anticipate challenges and leverage relationships for faster, more favorable resolutions in the
- Inland Empire’s legal landscape.
- No Upfront Costs: Contingency fees mean we only win if you do, removing financial barriers and aligning our incentives with your success, so you can focus on healing without added stress.
- Comprehensive Services: From EEOC/CRD filings to trials, we handle it all, including appeals if necessary, providing end-to-end support that covers every aspect of your claim.
We’re not just lawyers; we’re advocates for change in Riverside workplaces. Our Riverside employment discrimination attorneys are dedicated to not only winning your case but also contributing to safer, more equitable environments for all employees in the community.
By choosing Winer, Burritt, Scott & Jacobs, LLP, you’re partnering with a team that values your story and fights relentlessly to amplify your voice, ensuring that harassment is addressed at its root and prevented in the future.
Your Rights as a Victim of Employment Harassment
You have the right to:
- A harassment-free workplace, where you can perform your duties without fear of intimidation or offensive conduct based on protected characteristics.
- Report without fear of retaliation, knowing that laws like FEHA protect you from any adverse actions by your employer for speaking up.
- Seek accommodations if needed, such as adjustments for disabilities exacerbated by harassment, under the ADA and related state provisions.
- File claims with CRD or EEOC within timelines, typically up to three years under FEHA, to initiate formal investigations and preserve your legal options.
- Pursue civil lawsuits for damages like lost income, therapy costs, and pain/suffering, holding accountable those responsible and securing the compensation you deserve for your ordeal.
- Don’t let deadlines pass – act now to protect your future and well-being.
Steps to Take If You’re Experiencing Harassment
- Document everything: Dates, witnesses, communications, including detailed notes on incidents to build a strong evidentiary foundation for your claim.
- Report internally per company policy: Use official channels like HR to create a record, while monitoring for any retaliatory responses.
- Consult a lawyer for guidance: This is helpful even early on to understand your rights and strategize the best approach without compromising your position.
- File with agencies if needed: Agencies such as the CRD or EEOC help to trigger official investigations and meet statutory deadlines.
- Preserve evidence: Saving emails or recordings (legally), ensuring all materials are securely stored and not altered to maintain their admissibility in court.
Our Riverside employment harassment lawyer can walk through this process with expert advice and hands-on assistance, helping you avoid common pitfalls and maximize your chances of a successful outcome.
Frequently Asked Employment Harassment Questions
Q: What is employment harassment in the workplace?
A: Employment harassment refers to unwanted or offensive conduct based on factors like race, gender, religion, age, disability, or other protected characteristics. It can create a hostile or intimidating work environment, affecting an employee’s ability to perform their job.
Q: What are the different types of employment harassment?
A: The main types of employment harassment include sexual harassment, racial harassment, religious harassment, disability harassment, and harassment based on gender or age. Any behavior that creates a discriminatory or hostile work environment can qualify as harassment.
Q: How do I know if I’m a victim of employment harassment in Riverside?
A: Signs of harassment include repeated offensive comments, jokes, or actions that target you based on your race, gender, age, religion, or other protected characteristic. It also includes being subjected to physical or verbal abuse that makes the workplace intolerable.
Q: Who is protected from harassment in the workplace under California law?
A: California law protects all employees from harassment based on race, color, religion, sex, gender, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, and other protected categories. The law applies to both employees and job applicants.
Q: Can I file an employment harassment claim even if I am still employed?
A: Yes, you can file a harassment claim while still employed. Harassment can occur at any time and does not require you to leave your job. If the harassment is ongoing, it’s important to address it as soon as possible to stop the behavior.
Q: What compensation can I receive if my harassment claim is successful in Riverside?
A: If you win your claim, you may receive compensation for lost wages, emotional distress, pain and suffering, attorney fees, and in some cases, reinstatement to your job or a transfer to a different department to avoid further harassment.
Q: How long does it take to resolve an employment harassment case in Riverside?
A: The time it takes to resolve a harassment case depends on the complexity of the case, whether a settlement is reached, and if the case goes to trial. Some cases are resolved quickly through mediation, while others may take longer in court.
Contact Our Riverside Employment Harassment Lawyer Today
If harassment has disrupted your life, we’re here to help. Reach out to our Riverside employment harassment attorneys and schedule a free consultation to discuss your case confidentially. Together, we’ll fight for the justice and compensation you deserve. Remember, time is critical – contact Winer, Burritt, Scott & Jacobs, LLP to start reclaiming your power and holding wrongdoers accountable.