Los Angeles Sexual Assault Lawyer Blog

As we approach the holiday season, many stores and retail outlets will be hiring temporary employees to meet with buyer demand. During this time, a sexual harassment primer is always a good idea.

Sexual harassment in Los Angeles and elsewhere can be classified as requests for sexual favors, unwelcome sexual advances and other physical or verbal harassment of a sexual nature, according to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. There are many forms of sexual harassment and anyone can be a victim.

Our Orange County sexual harassment attorneys would like to discuss exactly what sexual harassment is to help you to determine if you're experiencing anything like this in your workplace. If you feel you've been the victim of sexual harassment, you're urged to report the behavior to a supervisor and to contact an experienced attorney to help you fight for your rights. Employees are protected from any unwanted acts, and employers are required to take the appropriate actions to help ensure that this behavior doesn't happen. Employers must also be prepared to take appropriate actions when sexual harassment is alleged.

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 defines sexual harassment as the rejection or submission to this conduct that affects a person's employment status, interferes with work duties or creates a hostile, intimidating or offensive work place.

Sexual harassment can include, but is not limited to:

-The victim can be either a man or a woman, and the victim does not have to be of the opposite sex of the offender.

-The harasser can be anyone on the job, including a co-worker, supervisor, an agent, a non-employee, or a worker in a completely different area of the company.

-The victim doesn't necessarily have to be the one who was harassed. It could be anyone who has been affected by inappropriate conduct.

-Sexual harassment can happen even when a worker is not discharged or suffers no economic injury.

-The conduct of the harasser must be unwelcome by the victim.

Sexual harassment acts can include:

-Attempted or actual sexual assault or rape.

-Undesired pressure for sexual favors.

-Unwanted leaning over, touching, pinching or cornering.

-Unwanted and inappropriate gestures or looks.

-Telephone calls, letters and other materials with a sexual undertone that are unwanted.

-Spreading lies and rumors about a person's sex life.

-Giving personal gifts.

-Touching oneself in a sexual manner in the presence of another person.

-Using unwanted nicknames such as honey, doll, baby or hunk.

-Whistling at someone (also known as cat calls).

-Telling sexual stories or jokes.

-Looking a person up and down (also known as elevator eyes).

-Inappropriately touching another person.

If you feel you have been the victim of any of the listed acts, you're urged to report the behavior. If you feel you're not being treated fairly on the job, please contact an attorney to help you to fight for your rights. All employers are required to provide a safe and comfortable workplace for employees.