Sexual Harassment Attorneys

Employers are required by law to institute policies that protect employees from unwanted sexual harassment.

Gianni • Petoyan is dedicated to representing victims of workplace sexual harassment. Our gender discrimination lawyers possess extensive trial experience and will aggressively assert your right to work in a harassment-free environment.

Contact the law office of Gianni • Petoyan by calling 1.866.330.6767. Our lawyers have significant experience in employment litigation. We offer free initial consultations and evening and weekend appointments by request.

Call toll free: 1.866.330.6767

Gianni • Petoyan

17383 Sunset Boulevard • Suite A 200
Pacific Palisades, CA 90272
Tel: 310.230.6767
Fax: 310.230.6051
E-Mail:  Contact Us

Each Ventura County sexual harassment attorney & Simi Valley employment gender discrimination lawyer at the law office of Gianni • Petoyan in Pacific Palisades, California provides zealous legal representation to Ventura and Los Angeles County, including Pacific Palisades, Beverly Hills, Brentwood, Century City, Culver City, Encino, Manhattan Beach, Marina Del Ray, Newport Beach, Ocean Park, Palms, Rancho Park, Riverside, San Fernando Valley, Santa Monica, Sherman Oaks, Studio City, Tarzana, Torrance, West Los Angeles, Westchester and the surrounding areas.

Sexual harassment is not a joke. While to some it may seem like harmless horseplay, it deprives others of dignity and equality. Victims of sexual harassment have well-established rights under federal law and, in many cases, under state law. A knowledgeable employment law attorney can advise you on protecting your rights.

Sexual Harassment Is Discrimination

Sexual harassment is a form of gender-based discrimination. Sexual harassment may consist of sexual requests from a superior, tied to the quality of the employee's job or benefits, or it can be the inappropriate behavior of one or more co-workers. It is forbidden by federal civil rights law and by numerous state anti-discrimination laws. These laws give you specific rights and remedies if you experience sexual harassment in the workplace.

Sexual harassment is not just illegal; it is harmful. The most common injuries suffered by victims of sexual harassment are emotional. Victims of sexual harassment often feel powerless, developing low self-esteem. In some cases, they believe that they are to blame for the harassment or for letting it go on as long as it did.

Sexual harassment can cause a serious financial burden as well. An employee may be denied a raise or passed over for a promotion because he or she refused a superior's sexual demands. The employee may even give up a job rather than continue to work in a hostile environment.

Victims' Rights

Sexual harassment is about power at least as much as it is about sex. Your harasser may have told you that you are powerless to stop the harassment. Your harasser is wrong: there is much that you can do to stop harassment. The law gives you the power and the tools you need to fight back against harassment. File a complaint with your employer about sexual harassment. If your complaint does not bring results, file a claim with the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) or your state's human rights or civil rights agency. Seek a lawyer's help. You may have the right to receive compensation for your injuries, whether they are financial, emotional or both.

You also have the right to be free from retaliation by your employer. Federal law protects employees who make complaints about sexual harassment (or about other illegal conduct or discrimination) from retaliation by their employers.

Conclusion

You do not have to tolerate sexual harassment. You have the right to be treated with respect and dignity. You should settle for nothing less, especially at your workplace. If you are the victim of sexual harassment, there are many things you can do to stand up for your rights. An experienced employment law attorney can help you take the action you need to take.

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Many sexual harassment claims are based on the theory that the workplace has become a hostile environment. A hostile environment is one in which the sexual conduct and attentions have become so persistent and pervasive that the average person would think of the environment as hostile or abusive. A hostile environment may be created by employees (or even non-employees) whose conversation is inappropriate and offensive, or who display sexually explicit pictures. Employers have an obligation to make sure that the workplace does not turn into a hostile environment. If your workplace is intolerable, contact an attorney to discuss a possible hostile environment claim.

Frequently Asked Questions about Sexual Harassment

Q: Can my employer retaliate against me for filing a sexual harassment claim?

A: No. Federal law prohibits retaliation against employees who report unlawful employment practices or who file a claim for workplace discrimination. You are also protected from retaliation for appearing as a witness in another employee's sexual harassment lawsuit.

Q: Is sexual harassment only men harassing women?

A: No matter who is harassing whom, it can be sexual harassment. Sexual harassment is verbal or physical abuse that amounts to discrimination against a person because of his or her sex. If the harassment is between two people of the same sex, the person who is being harassed must show that the harassment was based on his or her sex (not just the sexual desire, if any, of the harasser). The person suffering harassment also must have been treated differently than members of the opposite sex were treated.