San Francisco Sexual Harassment Attorney
Sexual harassment can transform the workplace from a comfortable, productive environment to a hostile environment. An employee facing sexual harassment may feel forced to quit rather than endure another day of unwanted sexual advances. Courts have generally recognized two types of sexual harassment claims: hostile work environment and quid pro quo.
Hostile Work Environment - a hostile work environment occurs where a supervisor or co-worker engages in unwanted harassing conduct based upon an employee's sex. The harassing conduct may take various forms, including unwanted sexual advances, verbal harassment (such as obscene language, demeaning comments, slurs, or threats), physical harassment (such as unwanted touching, assault, or physical interference with work or movement), or visual harassment (such as offensive posters, objects, cartoons, drawings, or emails). In some circumstances, an employer may be liable for unwanted harassing conduct committed by nonemployees, such as vendors or customers.
A hostile work environment may also occur where a supervisor provides preferential treatment (such as promotion or preferred work hours or assignments) to another employee with whom the supervisor is romantically involved, or where an employee personally witnesses unwanted harassing conduct directed at co-workers.
Qui Pro Quo - quid pro quo sexual harassment occurs where job benefits are conditioned on acceptance of the harasser's sexual advances or where employment decisions are made on an employee's acceptance or rejection of the harasser's sexual advances.
An employer has a responsibility to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace. If you feel that you have been sexually harassed in the workplace and would like to discuss your legal rights, give Martin Velez a call. You may reach him at 415.342.4125 or at martinvelez@comcast.net
Mr. Velez represents employees throughout the San Francisco Bay Area, including Alameda County (Fremont, Hayward, Oakland, and Pleasanton), Contra Costa County (Concord, Martinez, and Walnut Creek), Marin County (San Rafael and Novato), Napa County, San Mateo County (Menlo Park and Redwood City), Santa Clara County (Mountain View, Palo Alto, and San Jose), Solano County (Fairfield and Vallejo), and Sonoma County (Petaluma and Santa Rosa).
The material contained on this website is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended as legal advice. Providing information on this website is not intended to create and does not constitute an attorney client relationship. No attorney client relationship is created through your use of this website.