A Workplace Harassment Lawyer Who Will Fight for Your Rights
Harassment is a serious form of workplace discrimination that can take many forms. Threats, suggestive comments, and physical contact are hallmarks of harassment, but ultimately it is any inappropriate behavior that creates a hostile work environment. Every worker has a right to a safe, harassment-free workplace and workers may pursue legal action if those rights are impeded. Workplace harassment lawyer Gregory Thyberg in Sacramento, CA, is committed to upholding fair working conditions and helping victims recover compensation. If you have been a victim of harassment on the job, contact Thyberg Law for a no-obligation case review.
What Constitutes Workplace Harassment?
Harassment is unwelcome conduct that is directed towards an employee based on:
- Sex (including pregnancy)
- Race
- Color
- Age (40 or older)
- Religion
- National origin
- Disability
- Genetic information
From a legal standpoint, harassment is in violation of employment rights carved out in Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (ADEA), and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA).
What Is Offensive Conduct?
Undoubtedly, over the course of our working lives, we will work with at least one person who makes petty slights or inappropriate comments. While these are annoying, they are not considered illegal. To be considered unlawful, the behavior must be a part of a pattern that creates a work environment that is intimidating, offensive, or hostile to reasonable people.
Offensive conduct can include, but is not limited to:
- Slurs
- Offensive jokes
- Name calling
- Threats
- Intimidation
- Mockery
- Insults
- Offensive gestures
- Offensive objects or pictures
- Interfering with work performance
Workplace harassment can happen in virtually any circumstance. The offender may be an immediate supervisor, or a supervisor or manager in another area. Sometimes a co-worker or a non-employee are the perpetrators. It should also be noted that workplace harassment victims are not limited to the person who is being directly harassed, but includes anyone negatively affected by the offensive behavior.
What Should You Do?
If you are being harassed at work, there are certain steps you can take to protect yourself:
- Ask the perpetrator to stop.
- If the perpetrator continues the offensive behavior, take notes on each incident. Be sure to detail what happened, when and where it took place, how you responded, and if there were witnesses.
- Report the harassment to your supervisor and follow your company’s harassment policies, which should be in compliance with state and federal laws.
- File a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and contact a workplace harassment attorney. A lawyer can submit necessary paperwork and determine if you have rights to other legal options.
Why Should You Hire an Attorney?
In addition to assisting you with the EEOC complaint, an experienced workplace harassment attorney can secure damages through a harassment claim. Certain workplace harassment situations are grounds for victim compensation, particularly if an employer ignored reports of harassment. By law, employers must take harassment reports seriously and investigate them and take appropriate disciplinary action when necessary. If, however, an employer retaliates against a worker who makes a harassment complaint, the employer is also violating whistleblower laws. Mr. Thyberg has represented many clients over the course of his career that spans over three decades. He will stand up to companies who mistreat workers, and can make the strongest case possible that maximizes the compensation you are owed.
Protect Your Rights
Fewer workplace situations are more upsetting or stressful than being the victim of harassment. If you have endured offensive conduct on-the-job, contact Thyberg Law online today to learn more about your rights and legal options. You can also call our office at (916) 204-9173 to schedule your complimentary case review.
