Los Angeles Sexual Assault Lawyer Blog

High-profile Hollywood producer Jon Peters recently lost a jury trial and was ordered to pay $822,000 in damages to a former personal assistant, the Los Angeles Times reports.

This is yet another case of a person in power -- most typically a man -- who lords over a person at work without power to make his or her work environment uncomfortable. This is, plain and simple, sexual harassment in Los Angeles.

It's not only wrong, but also unlawful. And, unfortunately, it's not uncommon. As the Los Angeles Sexual Assault Lawyer Blog reported recently, a "Price is Right" model recently sued the show, alleging that upper management harassed and bullied her and others at the show.

This type of work environment is unacceptable and only an experienced and aggressive Orange County Sexual Harassment Lawyer can teach these bosses a lesson through litigation aimed at correcting an unlawful situation.

Sexual harassment is typically defined as unwanted sexual advances, touching, conversations and can even include sexually based emails that are offensive or requests for sexual favors in exchange for promotions and benefits at work. This doesn't only apply to male bosses and female worker situations; it has applied to male workers and female bosses in recent years, as well.

In this case, Peters, who produced "Caddyshack," "Rain Man," Bonfire of the Vanities" and "Superman Returns," among other movies, was accused of acting with malice toward his former personal assistant, which will require an additional hearing that could result in more damages awarded to the 44-year-old woman.

According to the news article, Peters inappropriately touched her at his Malibu home, got into bed with her in an Australian hotel, and exposed himself to her and her then-2-year-old daughter in an outdoor restroom at his Santa Barbara ranch. After she quit his firm, the man's influence prevented her from getting another job, she claimed.

Sadly, this is a way of life for some people working in the movie business in Los Angeles and throughout Southern California. People in power like to throw around that influence and make sure nothing threatens it, including a person who works for them.

Unfortunately, this often ensnares hard-working people who face difficulties at work simply because of their appearance or because of the poor decisions being made by higher-ups who control the purse strings and hiring and firing duties. And with unemployment -- especially in California and the movie industry -- in bad shape, some people will simply endure a bad situation in order to continue getting a paycheck.

But that doesn't have to be the case. Hiring an experienced sexual harassment lawyer is the first step in fighting back. Don't allow bosses to treat you poorly because of the job market and your insecurity. Turn the tables and make them pay for treating you poorly.