Articles Posted in Sexual Harassment

A firefighter recently settled his Los Angeles sexual harassment case with the Los Angeles Fire Department after it was proven co-workers harassed him at work over a church sex scandal, the Los Angeles Times reports.

Many people believe that sexual harassment in the workplace only happens to women from male subordinates, but this simple isn’t the case. Orange County sexual harassment lawyers have seen many cases where men face harassment at work from female bosses or even male co-workers who aren’t following company protocols and procedures.

The Catholic Church scandal and other sexual abuse allegations made against churches and religious organizations have brought forward a new crop of victims. And as these cases have become public, they have garnered much media attention. This unwanted attention from people who have grown up with dark secrets can lead to problems at work.

If co-workers find out that an employee has a pending lawsuit against a church for alleged sexual abuse, someone may inappropriately try to talk about it at work. If the victim tells co-workers or management they don’t want to talk about the personal issue at work, but people persist, it could qualify as sexual harassment.

That’s what happened in this case. According to the Los Angeles Times, the firefighter had filed a lawsuit against the Los Angeles Archdiocese over alleged sexual abuse. When a co-worker found about about it, it led to others mocking the man and using sexually explicit language.

The man filed a formal complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in 2007 and the commission found in his favor that he was harassed. The department recently announced it would pay him $494,150 to settle the case. On top of the payment, the department must enforce policies against discrimination, retaliation and harassment. The department will also have to offer an equal employment opportunity complaint system.

Comments made to a person in a work setting should be work-related and not used to intimidate or harass another person. Certainly, people can form relationships that become friendly at work and that is fine. But as the barriers between co-worker and friend begin to blur, this can lead to possible examples of harassment.

This is also true in cases where two co-workers don’t get along. If one outwardly shows that they don’t like the other, their comments can more easily be seen as harassing in nature. Businesses and agencies must have policies and training in place to avoid these types of situations.

A worker should not have to deal with sexual harassment in the workplace. Any crude jokes, inappropriate stories or shared emails can make a person not only uncomfortable working there, but also make it so they are less productive. If the bosses and company aren’t enforcing policies or they don’t have policies in place, they can be held liable.
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A recent ABC News/Washington Post poll found that 1 in 4 American women has been sexually harassed in the workplace, Forbes.com reports.

This is a sad statistic, but not all that surprising.

As the article correctly points out, many women are shy about reporting sexual harassment because they are worried that their male bosses could shun them for promotions, training and other perks at work. All of that is also unlawful.

Sexual harassment in Fullerton happens every day and it happens to both men and women. Facing sexual harassment — including getting unwelcome looks and comments, receiving sexually based e-mails or being asked for sexual favors for work — can be intimidating.

Many people feel this intimidation and don’t report the harassment, which can continue. Garden Grove sexual harassment lawyers have seen the frustration and tough work environment this culture of harassment can create.

The article states that in 1992, 88 percent of Americans believed that sexual harassment was a major on-the-job problem. That number has dropped to 64 percent now. Perhaps that’s because in the 1990s, there was a revolution of sexual harassment claims as more women felt empowered to report such abuse.

In 1997, there were nearly 16,000 claims of sexual harassment, with claims staying above 15,000 until 2001, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission reported.

Since then, claims have dropped steadily to 11,717 in 2010. Still, the amount of money paid out for these claims has remained between $47 and $50 million in recent years.

While the attitude of women in the workplace has change, the more common attitude in recent years, the Forbes article points out, is that women are less likely to report sexual harassment because they feel that not reporting it would hurt their career chances. It could also hurt the efforts of female co-workers, who sometimes pressure them into not reporting.

Another common thinking is that women believe they are “strong enough” to handle dealing with a little sexual harassment and that reporting it is a sign of weakness. They should be able to take a joke, some might say.

But sexual harassment in Irvine isn’t a joke. It’s a power play by bosses, who like to throw their weight around at work. It is pure intimidation and it can’t be stopped unless someone reports it. The longer this environment continues, the longer it takes.

And the more times it goes unreported, the more engrained it becomes in a culture. Think about your workplace. There are most likely patterns that occur that have been the same for years, maybe decades. People settle into a routine and do somethings the same way they always have.

Sexual harassment, in some companies, is one of those everyday occurrences. If it continues to go unreported, it will continue to happen. If you have been sexually harassed in Southern California, don’t sit back and let it happen.
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As head of the National Restaurant Association in the 1990s, two women accused Herman Cain, now running for president, of inappropriate behavior after complaining to colleagues and officials and leading to a settlement, Politico reported recently.

As the Los Angeles Times points out, Cain’s defense on the matter has varied. During his first media interview following the story breaking, Cain said he didn’t know if the case was settled. Later that day, he said he was falsely accused and allowed the trade group to handle the situation. In two other interviews that day, Cain said one woman may have gotten two or three months’ salary as part of a settlement and then said he didn’t act inappropriately, “but as you would imagine, it’s in the eye of the person who thinks that maybe I crossed the line.”

Other than the fact that the person allegedly involved is a presidential candidate, we know of many incidents like this, including charges of sexual harassment in Huntington Beach. Most commonly, sexual harassment charges stem from incidents or alleged incidents in the workplace. A co-worker or a boss sends out an inappropriate e-mail with sexual connotations that makes a person feel uncomfortable. Or maybe during the course of a typical work day, a manager or business owner makes a sexually offensive joke or touches someone in a manner that many would consider inappropriate.

These are all issues that must be taken up with an experienced Huntington Beach sexual harassment lawyer. Voicing one’s opinions and asking that the behavior stop may be one way to address the matter, but that can also open up the person to potential retaliation if the accused doesn’t take kindly to their words. A lawyer will ensure your rights are upheld.

Details of the situation with Cain aren’t clear. Politico reports that they chose not to include the identities of the two restaurant association employees citing privacy concerns. The news report states that the women received separation packages reaching hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Politico reports that the allegations stem from conversations filled with innuendo or sexually suggestive questions during conferences and at hotels on association business. The allegations also include physical gestures that weren’t sexual, but made women uncomfortable and they considered them improper.

Cain has tried to play off the allegations as false, but the association clearly didn’t want any part of it and decided to settle with the victims instead. This sort of thing happens in corporate America, when high-ranking officials believe they can say or do anything without getting caught.

But the time of sexual harassment in the workplace needs to come to an end. No longer should people with power use their influence or position to make the lives of their subordinates frustrating and uncomfortable.

The landscape is changing, but it is still old-school in some places. They need to change and get with the times, but it often takes an example to make that happen. If the culture in a workplace isn’t right, it won’t change overnight. It takes time, but it has to start someplace.
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A high-profile Hollywood producer has been ordered to pay $3 million after being convicted of sexually harassing an assistant.

It’s blatantly obvious that Hollywood is full of egos. And those egos sometimes lead to power trips that result in people facing discrimination or harassment on the job. Sexual harassment in Orange County may be common, but it’s not legal.

A person shouldn’t be subjected to sexual advances, guarantees of a job in exchange for sexual favors or other unlawful and uncomfortable actions that make them despise where they work. With jobs scarce these days, people are willing to endure more frustrations in the workplace. But that doesn’t mean they should endure harassment.

Our Santa Ana employment lawyers know the frustration and desperate feeling workers get when they face discrimination or harassment on the job. It may feel like a hopeless situation, but it’s not. A lawyer can guide you in determining the best course of action and whether filing a lawsuit will best resolve the unfortunate situation you face.

According to the Los Angeles Times, Jon Peters, who produced “Caddyshack,” “Rain Man” and Superman Returns,” among other films, was convicted of sexually harassing his assistant and subjecting her to a hostile work environment.

At the jury trial, his assistant testified that he inappropriately touched her at his Malibu home, crawled into bed with her while they were in Australia in a hotel, and exposed himself to her and her 2-year-old daughter at an outdoor restroom when they were at his Santa Barbara ranch.

The woman also claimed that Peters’ influence in the industry prevented her from getting another job after she stopped working for him. Peters, in defense, claimed that the woman had no independent eyewitness accounts to verify her allegations.

But jurors sided with the plaintiff. They also found that Peters acted with malice, which spurred a separate hearing to determine whether punitive damages should be awarded. At that hearing, an additional $2.5 million was awarded, NBC News reports.

These are large sums of money for sure, but they aren’t unwarranted. For companies whose leaders discriminate and harass, it provides a lesson they will hopefully take seriously and prevent from happening in the future.

For the victim, aided by an experienced Santa Ana discrimination lawyer, the verdict provides her some closure for suffering through a difficult work environment. It also provides some money to tide her over should she be left without work in an industry that may continue to discriminate.

By and large, jurors get it right. They see the problems with work environments where employees are punished or rewarded for their looks and where bosses get away with inappropriate behavior. They want justice to be done and so do Santa Ana discrimination lawyers. Contact us today so we can help.
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The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors will be dishing out $900,000 to settle a sexual harassment suit filed against a Los Angeles police officer. A deputy is accusing his supervisor of sexual harassment and threats of violence, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Our Orange County sexual harassment lawyers recommend that you report any and all forms of sexual harassment to your supervisor. It is also in your best interest to contact an experienced lawyer to help ensure that the proper steps are being taken to protect your rights in the workplace. On the other hand, it is equally important to contact an experienced attorney if you’re facing any false allegations of harassment in the workplace as convictions of such behavior can drastically affect your career.

While the county agreed to pay out a sum of $900,000, the sheriff’s supervisor is still denying the allegations — flatly denying workplace sexual harassment in Los Angeles.

“Sexual harassment is about using power in a way to hurt somebody,” says Marcia McCormick, associate professor at Saint Louis University School of Law, who specializes in employment law and gender issues.

There are a number of ways that sexual harassment can occur in the workplace. While the most common form of sexual harassment is male on female, the number of male on male sexual harassment cases is on the rise in Los Angeles and elsewhere in the United States. It’s a form of sexual harassment that is increasing in numbers by the day. According to Newsweek, same-sex harassment cases have only been recognized by the court system for a little over 20 years now.

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) reports that in 2009 nearly 13,000 sexual harassment incidents came from males. That year recorded the largest number of male-reported sexual harassment incidents on record.

The deputy, at the sheriff’s office, is stating that his supervisor asked that he “come into the bathroom for a rectal probe” and boasted he could get the deputy “so drunk” that the deputy would perform oral sex on him, according to the L.A. Times.

“While some people may think sexual harassment of male employees is a joke, the issue is real,” says David Grinberg, spokesperson for the EEOC. “We are seeing more of it, and such conduct has serious legal consequences for employers.” The EEOC reports that incidents including male on male sexual harassment claims are indeed on the rise.

Our criminal defense lawyers defend those facing sexual harassment in Los Angeles, Santa Ana and Ontario areas and have a strong reputation for achieving justice for our clients. If you are currently experiencing accusations of sexual harassment, it is critical for you to contact an attorney to protect your rights, your financial well-being, your dignity and your reputation.
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Four members of the board at Hewlett-Packard Co. will step down in the wake of the company’s handling of a sexual harassment complaint involving it’s former CEO, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Our Orange County sexual harassment attorneys are frequently called to handle cases in which employees face illegal workplace harassment. While we have made strides as a society, women and minorities are unfortunately subjected to workplace harassment and discrimination far too often.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission reported job bias complaints hit a record-high of nearly 100,000 in 2010, including 29,029 based on sex and 35,890 based on race.

When it comes to sexual harassment, the EEOC handled 11,717 cases and collected nearly $50 million. A little more than 16 percent of those cases were filed by men.

Hewlett-Packard’s board forced its former CEO to resign amid allegations of sexual harassment and expense-account abuses. The case stems from allegations by an independent contractor that the CEO sexually harassed her and falsified expense reports to cover up a relationship.

Among the incoming board members is Meg Whitman, the former CEO of EBay and losing candidate in last fall’s California governor’s race.

The Times reports the ouster of the board members is largely the result of the perception of rash decision making — The CEO was forced to resign despite HP’s determination that he did not violate the company’s sexual harassment policy.

The company then attempted to sue to prevent him from becoming co-president or rival tech firm Oracle Corp.
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A sexual harassment lawsuit in Westlake Village accuses the Four Seasons hotel manager with having a romantic relationship with a masseuse, to whom he allegedly gave special treatment, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Our Riverside employment attorneys understand how romantic relationships cal lead to complications in the workplace, particularly when a supervisor is involved with an employee. Frequently, such relationships lead to problems, both during the relationship and after romantic involvement ends.

The four-star hotels former lead massage therapist filed the suit, saying he was instructed in August 2009 to make sure certain massage therapists were not paid more than a masseuse who was having a romantic relationship with the general manager. He refused to comply and reported the issue to the hotel’s human resources department. A month later, he was demoted and “constructively terminated” from his job, according to the lawsuit.

The lawsuit against the 270-room resort hotel was filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court and seeks general and punitive damages, as well as legal fees and costs. Allegations against the hotel include retaliation for reporting sexual harassment, defamation and wrongful termination.

The hotel opened in 2006 and includes gourmet restaurants, waterfalls and walking paths and a 40,000 square foot spa. It is one of fewer than 1 in 200 to be rated with five-diamonds by AAA.
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A Los Angeles sexual harassment lawsuit has been settled after a parochial school employee said she was sexually harassed by the church pastor, FOX News reported.

Our Orange County sexual harassment attorneys and Riverside employment rights lawyers understand the need for experienced, high-quality legal representation for victims who have faced sexual harassment or sexual discrimination in the workplace.

In October 2009, the woman sued the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Los Angeles and the accused Priest. The case was scheduled to go to trial on Monday but defense attorneys filed paperwork with Los Angeles Superior Court saying the case had been resolved. Terms of the settlement were not disclosed.

The lawsuit alleged that the woman began working as a janitor and cook at the Epiphany Catholic Church school in 2007. She claimed the priest spanked her and hugged her in a sexual manner. When she complaint, her boss allegedly told her to endure the harassment and hopefully the priest would stop.

She was later placed on medical leave and, when cleared to return to work, the diocese reportedly refused to reinstate her.

Earlier this summer, the judge ruled in favor of the diocese attorneys, finding that the religious organization could not be sued under the state’s Fair Employment and Housing Act. However, the judge had permitted the lawsuit to go forward as a violation of civil rights.
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Two police officers claim they were wrongly transferred after being falsely accused of sexual harassment in Los Angeles.

The Los Angeles Independent reports the LAPD sergeant and officer worked for the bomb squad at the Los Angeles International Airport. They are claiming gender discrimination and retaliation.

A Los Angeles employment attorney can assist an employee in protecting their rights in the workplace on either side of a sexual harassment claim. This case illustrates sexual harassment v. sexual discrimination in Los Angeles employment situations. The male officers are claiming they have been subjected to sexual discrimination after being transferred out of the unit following a sexual harassment claim.

The officers claim the incident has ended their careers and each are seeking in excess of $2 million. The accuser received $2.25 million in a settlement with the city over the alleged conduct of the officers.

The female bomb squad officer contended that the sexual harassment included the posting of photographs of half-naked officers, sexually explicit cartoons, men using the women’s shower, taking items from her locker and blowing cigar smoke in her face. She claims the harassment happened between 2000 and 2005.

She retired last year after receiving the settlement from the city. The male officers claim the allegations are false and that they were inappropriately transferred and received a reduction in pay.
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