Orange County sexual harassment attorney

McDonald’s Accused of “Pervasive” Sexual Harassment Culture

November 18, 2019 | by Nassiri Law

Little more than one week after McDonald’s Corp. fired its chief executive officer for reportedly having a romantic relationship with a subordinate, a former employee is suing the fast food chain, alleging sexual assault by a manager is part of a larger culture of sexual harassment in the company. The former CEO could get a payout of an estimated $70 million.

The class action sexual harassment lawsuit filed in a Michigan state court as hundreds of workers for the company in that state prepared to strike in protest of the company’s handling of such claims. Workers for the firm are demanding the protection of a labor union. The company is facing more than 50 complaints from employees and former employees who allege the work environment at the restaurant chain is sexually hostile.

In the recent Michigan lawsuit, The New York Times reports plaintiff was subjected to sexual harassment and sexual assault repeatedly over the course of two years working for the company. The manager allegedly groped her, called her by offensive names and once placed his genitals in her hand while they worked beside one another in the kitchen. These incidents, she says, were a daily occurrence, and she was in constant fear of losing her job. She reportedly filed numerous complaints with her general managers, but the complaints were ignored, she said. Continue Reading ›

Immigration Crisis and Sexual Harassment Movement Collide

June 29, 2018 | by Nassiri Law

As any good sexual harassment attorney knows, one of the biggest deterrents to victims coming forward with their stories is fear of retaliation and the effects it can have on their careers and well-beings. This issue is compounded infinitely for immigrant families, who not only fear risking their careers, but their entire way of life, their homes, the potential of deportation, and possible separation from their families. Even those who are in the process of becoming a legal citizen are fearful causing waves could put their citizenship in jeopardy. Sexual harassment, discrimination, and assault in the workplace is scary enough, but these personal ramifications add an exclamation point to the end of an already very frightening sentence.

The fear of deportation, even for those who are following all the rules and are actively seeking citizenship, has increased significantly recently with the current administration making a very public example of non-Americans. Attorney General Jeff Sessions in recent months invoked a “no tolerance” policy when it comes to people crossing the border from Mexico, offering little room to differentiate between asylum seekers and those committing violent crimes or trafficking drugs. This has created an environment where those already in the country tend to lay low, keep quiet, and hold their breaths to see what happens next.

Sexual Harassment Bad for Business and Taxpayers

June 12, 2018 | by Nassiri Law

Not only is sexual harassment in the workplace illegal, but it also is costing a significant amount of money. The influx of reports of sexual misconduct has led journalists and investigators to dig into the scope of these behaviors. What they have found is a trail of monetary payoffs and cover-ups over the years that have kept accusers silent and cost states and businesses a sizeable amount of money. California, despite having many protections, may be one of the biggest offenders.

The News Journal in Delaware recently revealed sexual misconduct payoffs over the past decade cost the state $663,000, plus the costs of litigation. Cases were filed alleging sexual harassment, misconduct, and discrimination across a variety of departments. Totals in other states varied pretty widely. Florida tallied $11 million in settlements, but that was over a 30-year period. Investigations in New York revealed at least $5 million in payouts from 2008-2010. Continue Reading ›

Skies are Not So Friendly for Flight Attendants

May 18, 2018 | by Nassiri Law

A recent survey from Association of Flight Attendants has revealed some disturbing statistics about sexual harassment in the field. According to the survey, 68 percent of respondents said they have experienced sexual harassment during their career. Even when isolated to just the past year, 35 percent reported verbal harassment and 20 percent physical harassment. This is a significant jump over a nationwide poll, which shows 38 percent of respondents experienced workplace harassment in their careers, according to an SF Gate report. The survey that addressed all women, released by Stop Street Harassment, Raliance, and Center on Gender Equity and Health, showed 81 percent of women have experienced sexual harassment in general, whether inside or outside the workplace.

This could explain why the number is much higher for flight attendants than other workers. In other work environments, workers are often interacting with other employees. There is more oversight and potential consequence for sexual harassment. Employees see each other every day, so there is no anonymity. If the company acts with integrity, there are strict rules and prevention strategies already in place. Even with all of those factors, a shocking number of people still face harassment. But on an airplane, attendants are interacting with strangers every day. They are in tight quarters and sometimes serving drinks to guests. Not to mention, flight attendants have long been sexualized in media and advertising, adding fuel to the fire of people who think they are entitled to harass others. Continue Reading ›

Teen Worker Sexual Harassment Reports May Increase Amid #MeToo

May 3, 2018 | by Nassiri Law

The story of sexual harassment in the workplace has been around since the beginning of workplaces. Yet, this past year has seen an explosion of accusations, resignations, and renewed policies thanks to the #MeToo Movement. People, particularly women, who once felt too vulnerable to speak up against sexual misconduct have been emboldened. These new voices have exposed a tragic pattern in workplaces across the country, and in doing so have revealed possibly the most vulnerable group of all workers: teenagers.

A Wall Street Journal report recently uncovered the concerns many parents face sending their teenagers into the workplace as the season for summer jobs is upon us. The fact that so many people are talking about sexual harassment in the workplace, which has led to stricter policies and more accountability, could lend some protection to teenagers who are starting their first jobs. However, our experienced employment attorneys know change takes time, and the problem is far from being solved.

Looking at Sexual Harassment Policies of State Legislatures

February 10, 2018 | by Nassiri Law

In the wake of the influx of employees coming forward in the past year to report workplace sexual harassment, the rally cry of “me too” has evolved into a steady hum of “what now?” Many citizens look to lawmakers to fortify harassment laws and create harsher punishments. However, those legislative bodies meant to govern are finding they have their own house cleaning to tend to.

A closer look at each of the nation’s state legislatures by the Associated Press showed nearly all had at least a minimal sexual harassment policy in writing. However, many state bodies may see big changes to policies in 2018 as the various chambers go beyond the minimum and dig deeper into establishing punishments and setting up prevention strategies. According to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, sexual harassment is a violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 because it is considered a form of sex discrimination. This act applies to the conduct of state and local governments. Continue Reading ›

State Senate Sexual Harassment and Retaliation Accusations Move Forward

January 31, 2018 | by Nassiri Law

The explosion of the #Metoo movement has rocked the country, advancing the fight against sexual harassment farther forward than ever before. This has, of course, led to an influx of workplace sexual harassment lawsuits. But it also has caused ripple effects, including lawsuits for retaliation in the workplace, born from reporting of harassment to superiors unwilling to address issues.

Californians have been following one such case in our own State Senate. Several staffers of Sen. Tony Mendoza (D-Artesia) have been in the news recently after allegations surfaced of sexual harassment by the senator, with the former aides alleging they were fired for reporting the harassment.

Amidst investigations being conducted by an outside law firm, one of the former aides is taking formal steps by filing a discrimination complaint with the Department of Fair Employment and Housing against the California Senate, Mendoza, and two legislative officials. The complain alleges that she was retaliated against for coming forward with harassment allegations.

The filing of such a complaint would be a necessary first step in California should the former staffer decide to file a lawsuit. Whether a lawsuit will be filed in not yet decided, according to a report from The Sacramento Bee. Continue Reading ›

Sexual Harassment Settlement Settled for $20 Million by Fox News

September 19, 2016 | by Nassiri Law

Fox News announced it settled with former Anchor Gretchen Carlson – and a “handful” of other women – each of whom had filed lawsuits alleging former CEO Roger Ailes had sexually harassed them. Carlson alone received a $20 million payout.

The station’s parent company, 21st Century Fox, owned by Rupert Murdoch and his sons, was the one that paid the settlement. Employment law experts know that the size of Carlson’s compensation is among the largest-known settlements issued for a single plaintiff in a sexual harassment lawsuit. We say “known” because many of these settlement agreements are confidential. In fact, at least two other women who were part of the sexual harassment investigation settled too, wishing to remain anonymous. Still, Ailes himself received a $40 million payout when he exited the company. He will not have to pay any of the $20 million settlement to Carlson or the other women, despite the fact that the lawsuits were originally against him personally.

Also rather unusual: 21st Century Fox issued an apology – a public one at that – to Carlson. She had filed the lawsuit over the summer, alleging Ailes removed her from the popular show and slashed her pay when she refused to have a sexual relationship with him. The apology statement conceded that Carlson was not treated with the respect and dignity she was owed. Continue Reading ›

Braun Electric Settles Sexual Harassment Lawsuit for $82,500

November 15, 2014 | by Nassiri Law

When an employee suffers from sexual harassment, it can take months, even years to reach a resolution. In most cases, a company will want to settle out of court to prevent costs of litigation and public exposure. However, some companies are willing to take sexual harassment cases to a jury if they believe that they can defeat charges.

In a recent California case, Braun Electric Company agreed to pay $82,500 to settle a sexual harassment lawsuit filed by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the U.S. agency charged with ensuring compliance with federal labor and discrimination laws.

Braun Electric provides industrial electrical services for the oil and gas industry throughout the California San Joaquin Valley. According to reports and the EEOC, a manager at the Belridge location subjected female workers to repeated instances of harassment, which created an illegal hostile work environment. Employees allege that the harassment took place since 2010. The manager made inappropriate sexual remarks and explicit propositions on a continual basis. Even though the employees reported the misconduct, upper management failed to adequately address the harassment reports and supervisors failed to property document and report the incidents that they had also witnessed. According to the lawsuit, one female employment was forced to quit as a result of repeated sexual harassment and the ongoing hostile work environment.

Report: Sexual Harassment Protections Scant for Unpaid Interns

August 23, 2013 | by Nassiri Law

On the surface, it would have seemed a very straightforward case of sexual harassment.

A senior male employee corners a younger female worker with unwanted comments about her body, tells her she should participate in an orgy with him and suggests that she remove her clothing before coming into meet with him. The allegations were further substantiated by the fact that a number of other women had made similar claims.

However, our Costa Mesa sexual harassment attorneys understand that her lawsuit was swiftly dismissed, a decision upheld by a federal appellate court. The reason? According to the court, the plaintiff had no standing in the case because she was an unpaid intern, and therefore not an employee, entitled to civil rights protections under the law.