Laid Off After Being Sexually Harassed – Los Angeles Sexual Harassment Attorney

Sexual harassment is an illegal form of discrimination in the workplace, yet it still plagues countless employees in all industries. Thanks to more media attention on high profile sexual harassment cases in recent years, awareness has increased about how serious and pervasive the issue is. 

Unfortunately, there are individuals who experience sexual harassment at work and then are laid off before they can report it. Sometimes employers lay off victims of sexual harassment after they report it, in retaliation against the victim’s complaint. If you were sexually harassed at work — regardless of whether you were then laid off or terminated, — you have rights and may be able to pursue legal action against your employer.

What Is Sexual Harassment?

There are two types of workplace sexual harassment. Quid pro quo sexual harassment involves an unwelcome request for sexual contact in exchange for something of value at work. For example, a supervisor may promise a promotion if an employee will have sex with them. Hostile work environment sexual harassment involves unwanted sexual or gender-based behavior at work that is so pervasive and offensive that it creates an unpleasant and difficult atmosphere. This might include unwanted, offensive touching and/or unwanted sexual comments.

What Are My Rights?

Both forms of sexual harassment are illegal. Workers have the right to be free from gender-based discrimination, sexual harassment and retaliation. This means that workers are protected from both being harassed and also from adverse employment actions as punishment for reporting it. Adverse employment actions can be anything that is unfair toward the person who was sexually harassed, such as being fired, laid off, demoted, passed over for promotion, given a pay or benefits cut or something else.

If the harassment victim can show that they were sexually harassed and then laid off (or otherwise treated unfairly with an adverse employment action) and that there is a causal connection between those two events, there is grounds for a sexual harassment retaliation case. Even if the layoff was unrelated to the harassment, you still could come forward with your sexual harassment case.

Do I Need an Attorney?

Many employers are fully aware of the seriousness of sexual harassment and how it should be handled. Far too many still choose to ignore this. An experienced sexual harassment attorney can help you stand up to an employer who has violated your rights. An attorney can guide you in the complicated legal process and ensure you that all requirements are met. An attorney will help collect relevant evidence to show that you were harassed and perhaps treated unfairly by your employer and apply the law to your case in a compelling way.

Data shows that individuals who hire an attorney to handle their sexual harassment case are often compensated more generously than those who do not. Potential damages in a sexual harassment lawsuit include:

• Back pay
• Front pay
• Legal fees
• And more

If it is decided that you were laid off illegally, you could be reinstated to your job as well.

Strong Advocates Can Help

If you have been laid off before you were able to report sexual harassment or as punishment for complaining about sexual harassment, speak with a seasoned Los Angeles employment attorney as soon as possible to review the details of your situation and determine whether you have a valid case against your employer.

Please contact Strong Advocates for a complimentary legal case analysis. Call us at (800) 260-1495 or complete the online form on our website to find out how we can help you.