Articles Posted in sexual harassment

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission will often be the first to intervene in the event of discrimination or another violation against an employee. In a recent case, the federal agency has filed a lawsuit against the Los Angeles call-center company for continued and pervasive sexual harassment as well as retaliation against those employees who voiced their complaints. The lawsuit against VXI Global Solutions was filed in federal court and seeks to stop behavior and compensate those employees who suffered from harassment.

Sexual harassment in the workplace may take different forms. In some cases, an employee may suffer from lewd comments or sexual advances from a superior. In other cases, an employee may have been approached with a “quid pro quo” offer for a career advancement or threats against a current position. Our Orange County employment law attorneys are dedicated to raising awareness to protect the rights of our clients. In addition to advocating for Southern California employees, we are also abreast of employment disputes throughout the state and nationwide.

According to CBS Local reports, the defendant company provides call services for Verizon, DirecTV and other communications companies. The complaint details egregious behavior against employees, many who were groped or shown pornographic images. Other employees endured sexually explicit comments about their bodies and innuendos from their superiors. According to a male employee, a female supervisor tried to give him a lap dance. The complaint, filed by the EEOC, alleges that the inappropriate and illegal behavior was known to management because of the open design of the office. The plaintiffs also assert that when they filed complaints they were disciplined and some were fired.

Sexual harassment claims will often go through a settlement process before they ultimately end up in court. In some cases, plaintiffs and defendants will go through multiple rounds of litigation until the case is resolved, either through settlement, verdict, or in the event of a dismissal. According to Courthouse News,  the Supreme Court ruled that Domino’s, the franchise, was not responsible for sexual harassment that took place at one of its locations. Sexual harassment liability always turn on the specific facts of the case, especially the relationship between the aggressor and the victim. As this case illustrates, sexual harassment claims involving a franchise relationship can be more complicated.

According to reports, the victim began working for Domino’s Pizza in November of 2008 and suffered sexual harassment by her assistant manager, including comments, gestures, and inappropriate touching. After her father called the police and the corporate office to complain, the family decided to pursue litigation. Our Orange County sexual harassment attorneys are dedicated to protecting the rights of victims. In every case, we will take a strategic approach to collect and preserve evidence, identity responsible parties, and pursue every opportunity for just relief.

In this case, the victim complained that the manager made lewd comments and gestures, and also touched her inappropriately. She later resigned from her position after her hours were reduced because of the complaint. The victim filed a lawsuit against the assistant manager, Domino’s Pizza, as well as the franchise operator. The lawsuit alleged that the parties for sexual harassment, retaliation and failure to take reasonable steps to avoid sexual harassment. There were additional claims filed for assault, battery, emotional distress, and constructive termination.

Women who enter male-dominated professions can often be targets of sexual harassment. While internal policies may educate and inform employees about the definitions of sexual harassment or even have reporting instructions, harassment often turns the workplace into a hostile environment. According to reports a Petaluma Fire Department employee suffered ongoing sexual harassment by her male colleagues. The victim reported that the ongoing harassment was so bad she finally had to leave her position. Now she has filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against the City of Petaluma.

Petaluma Fire Department employees have been instructed to preserve all communications in the event of a lawsuit. Two claims have already been filed against the city, one with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and one for unemployment. Considering the weight of these allegations, the city is gearing up to fight a high-profile sexual harassment lawsuit. Our Orange County sexual harassment attorneys are experienced in representing employees who have suffered gender discrimination in the workplace. Under California law, individuals are protected against quid pro quo and hostile work environment sexual harassment as well as gender discrimination. We will take the time to review your case, identity any legal cause of action, and aggressively pursue a financial recovery on your behalf.

According to reports, an attorney representing the sexual harassment victim notified the city and the Petaluma Fire Department to preserve all information related to the case. Mobile phones, computers, and other devices owned by the department as well as personal devices were targeted as part of the investigation. In the event of a sexual harassment lawsuit, both parties will be required to preserve any relevant evidence of harassment, including all communications between the victim and her colleagues. The city representatives in this case have met behind closed doors to discuss defense strategy and how to prepare for litigation in response to the claims.

Silicon Valley employment lawsuits are making headlines, including those involving sexual harassment claims against a Yahoo executive, age discrimination claims throughout the high-tech industries, and now a sexual harassment claim has been filed against the co-founder of the dating app, Tinder. According to the lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, the founders committed multiple acts of harassment and discrimination against another female founder. The plaintiff was also the face of Tinder and was a huge force in marketing Tinder to young women.

According to the lawsuit, the plaintiff was  a founding member and instrumental in building the name and brand, including changing the name of the app from “Tender” to “Tinder.” The case may have been complicated by an ongoing romantic relationship between the plaintiff and another member of the founding team. Our Orange County sexual harassment attorneys are experienced in helping victims protect their rights. We will take the time to review your case, identify potential options, and help you achieve an optimal settlement or jury verdict, if necessary. Sexual harassment claims, especially those involving high profile executives, should be handled by experienced attorneys who can treat your case with discretion.

The complaint states that the chief marketing officer was in and out of a romantic relationship with the plaintiff and engaged in threatening and abusive behavior. Allegedly, the chief marketing officer called her a “whore” and threatened to strip her of her title because associating with a young woman would “devalue” the company. The plaintiff claims that she finally broke down and agreed to resign in exchange for a severance package and the vesting of her stock. Rather than comply with terms of the agreement, she was fired. The lawsuit alleges that the executives participated in continued and egregious discrimination on the basis of sex. This is in-line with other criticisms of Silicon Valley and predominantly male-dominated tech start-up environments.

Employers are responsible for counteracting sexual harassment in the workplace through preventative measures and disciplinary policies. In the event that harassment creates a hostile work environment, employers can be held liable. In a recent California case, a Catholic School teacher is bringing a lawsuit against a school alleging that students took turns taking photos up the skirts of their female teachers. The plaintiff was harassed for more than two years in her own classroom without any assistance from supervisors or administrators. The lawsuit alleged that the “boys will be boys” policy failed to protect her and other teachers from harassment in the workplace.

Sexual harassment cases can be qualified as either hostile work environment or quid pro quo. In this case, the private school’s failure to take action for repeated harassment and the hostile work environment could be held liable. Our Orange County employment law attorneys are committed to protecting the rights of our clients and to staying abreast of legal news and developments that may impact California workers. This case sheds light on a new possibility for liability involving student on teacher harassment.

According to reports, the abuse started in 2012 when students wrote sexually explicit remarks about the teacher in the bathroom. Last May school administrators learned that the boys were collectively in a competition to take the “best” photo up a teachers’ skirt. There were several teachers targeted by the video and photo assaults. After performing an initial investigation, six students were expelled and six more were suspended. According to the plaintiff, one of the students distracted her while another put his phone up her skirt to take photos. A student who saw the incident reported it and the administrators informed the plaintiff.

Some industries and professions leave women more susceptible to sexual harassment, even violence in the workplace. Now, legislators and female workers in the agricultural industry are working together to stop the sexual harassment of farm workers in California. According to reports, women who work in fields and packaging plants are often the target of sexual harassment by crew bosses who have threatened to fire those who speak up. A new bill would crack down on employers who are responsible for harassment or who fail to protect workers.

Sexual harassment is illegal in any work environment and retaliation for reporting misconduct is illegal. Our Orange County employment law attorneys are dedicated to protecting the rights of sexual harassment victims. In addition to providing sound counsel and representation, we are also abreast of the legal issues and developments that impact worker rights in California.

SB 1087 is a proposed measure that targets farm labor contractors who hire workers for field jobs. The law would give the state labor commissioner the power to revoke licenses if supervisors sexually harass workers. The law is intended to keep employers abreast of interactions in the field and to ensure that workers and supervisors are held accountable in the event of harassment.

According to statistics from the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, victims of sexual harassment recovered $43 million from employers in 2012 (the most recent year for which data is currently available).

Our sexual harassment lawyers in Orange County know that the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission receives a staggering number of sexual harassment complaints annually.

Sexual harassment is a serious issue in the United States. In fact, almost 7% of all sexual harassment complaints were filed in California. Of all employment charges filed in California 27.5% were related to sex.