Covina Hostile Workplace Environment Lawyer

Dedicated Hostile Workplace Environment Attorney in Covina, CA

Your workplace should be an enjoyable place, free from harassment, discrimination, or unfair treatment. However, this is unfortunately not always the case, and if you find yourself dreading going to work, you might actually be experiencing a hostile work environment.

Whether your workplace is discriminatory against your race in Walnut Valley or harasses you for gender identity near Cortez Park, a Covina hostile workplace environment lawyer can help.

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Protect Yourself in a Hostile Work Environment With GUZMÁN & TOKAR LLP

At GUZMÁN & TOKAR LLP, we provide client-focused, strategic legal support to individuals whose employment rights have been violated. We are here to assess your claim, speak with potential witnesses, and work to secure you a fair and full compensation award.

No one deserves to suffer a hostile work environment, and we are here to hold your employer accountable if this is your experience. Trust us to advocate for your legal rights when you hire our team. 

Understanding a Hostile Work Environment in Covina

According to a recent study, 19% of American workers claim to work in a toxic work environment, and around 52% of workers claim to be affected by workplace harassment or misconduct.  When this harassment or toxicity grows, a hostile work environment can come about, leading to poor mental health and other issues.

If you believe you are suffering from a hostile work environment, it is important to recognize the signs. To qualify as a hostile work environment, the behavior shown by a coworker, supervisor, employer, or third-party, such as a supplier or contractor, must be:

• Pervasive and severe enough that it causes you to become unable to perform the necessary duties of your job
• Based on a protected characteristic, such as your gender, disability, age, pregnancy status, sex, race, or religion
• Unwanted, offensive, and not part of what might otherwise be considered a normal working environment
• Significant and ongoing, and not limited to a few minor interactions or annoyances

Common examples of a hostile work environment can include:

• Suffering repeated racial or sexual jokes or slurs
• Dealing with derogatory comments, gestures, or alleged jokes
• Facing threats, intimidation, or other acts that deliberately try to interfere with your work
• Mocking or teasing that is based on your age, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, race, or other protected characteristics
• Making unwanted and unwelcome sexual advances or proposals

What to Do When Facing a Hostile Work Environment

If you believe your job has become a hostile work environment, there are certain steps that should be taken to protect you and your fellow coworkers. These steps include:

• Try to address the harassment yourself. It is important that you make the first move and confront the party that is making the work environment hostile, if it is safe to do so. The reality is that some people may not realize that their behavior affects others. However, if the at-fault party refuses to listen to you or stop their harmful behavior, then it is time to move to the next step.
• Report the behavior to your manager, supervisor, or HR department. It is important to have evidence ready to present to prove your claim. Creating a report for your company will be helpful should you need to take additional steps, as it could serve as evidence.
• If your company fails to do anything about the hostile work environment, then it is time to speak with an attorney. Your attorney has the experience necessary to review your case and hold your employer and the at-fault party accountable for creating a hostile work environment.

FAQs

Q: What Damages Can I Seek for a Hostile Work Environment?

A: In a hostile work environment claim, there are several forms of damages you may be able to seek, depending on the exact circumstances of your case. These damages can include back pay, front pay, lost employment benefits, out-of-pocket expenses related to the harassment, such as therapy bills, emotional distress damages, loss of the enjoyment of life, and, in rare cases, punitive damages.

Q: How Can a Lawyer Help Me?

A: When you seek a lawyer’s help in a hostile work environment claim, they can take several actions to support you and your case. First, they are there to listen to your side of the story and no one else’s. They can review your case, determine how much compensation you may be entitled to recover, and also uncover further forms of evidence to support your claim.

Q: What Is My Employer’s Responsibility in a Hostile Work Environment Case?

A: In a hostile work environment case, your employer owes you a legal duty to make your workplace safe. They must create and distribute anti-harassment policies in accordance with California law, provide training for employees and supervisors, take action to address harassment, and thoroughly investigate all harassment complaints. If your employer fails to do this, you should engage an experienced lawyer.

Q: How Do You Prove a Hostile Work Environment Claim?

A: Proving a hostile work environment claim will require solid evidence that can support the case. You must be able to prove that the harassment was based on a protected characteristic, such as your race, gender, or sex, that the harassment was so persistent and severe that it impacted your ability to work, that it created an offensive or intimidating work environment, and that your employer failed to take necessary action.

Hire a Hostile Work Environment Lawyer Today

If you or someone you love is facing a hostile work environment in Covina, now is the time to hire a hostile work environment lawyer who can protect your rights. This can prove to be a difficult case, and we are here to help you navigate the legal process from the beginning.

To schedule your initial consultation with our team and learn more about what GUZMÁN & TOKAR LLP can do for you, contact our offices today. Let our experienced legal team stand up for your rights.