Hales & Associates, A Professional Law Corporation Blog

According to California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act, sexual harassment is defined as any action in which an unwanted sexual advance results, be it of a visual, verbal or physical nature. Gender harassment and harassment based on pregnancy, childbirth and/or related medical conditions is also considered sexual harassment under California law.

If you feel like you have been the victim of sexual harassment (or discrimination of any nature) your first step is to file an official complaint with the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing. Due to the statute of limitations governing discrimination cases, you must ensure that you submit your complaint within one year of the incident in which you were harassed.

It is important to understand which types of behavior are most often encountered in the workplace.

In accordance with state and federal law, California workers are protected from any form of workplace harassment, including sexually explicit comments, jokes, photos, drawings, and/or sending emails that constitute a hostile work environment. It is illegal for employees and those in a managerial capacity to engage in threatening and/or intimidating behavior, as well as unwanted physical conduct of any fashion.