California's Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) protects employees from unlawful workplace harassment based on an employee's actual or perceived:
- Ancestry
- Age (40 and above)
- Color
- Disability (physical, developmental, mental health/psychiatric, HIV and AIDS)
- Genetic Information
- Gender Expression
- Gender Identity
- Marital Status
- Medical Condition (genetic characteristics, cancer, or a record or history of cancer)
- Military or Veteran Status
- National Origin (including language restrictions and possession of a driver's license issued to undocumented immigrants)
- Race (including hair texture and hairstyles)
- Religion (including religious dress and grooming practices)
- Reproductive Health Decision making
- Sex/Gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and/or related medical conditions)
- Sexual Orientation
Unlawful harassment is a form of employment discrimination that can be verbal, written, visual, or physical, which may include conduct that is severe or pervasive enough to create an intimidating, hostile, or abusive work environment.
A known form of harassment in the workplace is sexual harassment. Examples of sexual harassment include:
- Quid pro quo harassment: when a manager or supervisor demands sexual favors from an employee as a condition of employment;
- Sexually suggestive conduct: Jokes, teasing, and comments of a sexual nature or pressure to have sex; and
- Unwanted touching: Unwelcomed or unnecessary touching or exposure by someone to pornography.
Please contact us to request a consultation if you believe you have been subjected to unlawful harassment by your current or former employer or by a current or former coworker.