In America, the average person will spend 90,000 hours of their life working. With so much time spent in the workplace, you should feel safe and happy going into work each day. Unfortunately, when workplace harassment or bullying comes into play, the workplace can become hostile for affected employees. 

For a workplace to be considered hostile in the State of California, there are specific criteria the situation must meet before a victim may have grounds to take legal action. Blackstone Law is a leading team of employment lawyers in California who can help you understand if you qualify

 

How Does California Define a Hostile Work Environment?

In some cases, an employee may disagree with one of their colleagues, and the two may not enjoy working together. While a situation like this may be uncomfortable, it is not necessarily a hostile work environment. To constitute a hostile work environment, the inappropriate acts or behavior focused on the targeted employee must sufficiently offend, humiliate, distress, or intrude on the victim to adversely affect their emotional state, hinder their ability to do their job, or interfere with their overall sense of well-being. 

If you are unsure whether your situation may be considered a hostile work environment, contact an experienced California employment lawyer who can help you understand the situation better. 

Situations That Create a Hostile Work Environment

Anyone within a particular company can create a hostile work environment. It is commonly misunderstood that only a supervisor–employee relationship may foster a situation like this, but your peers are equally as responsible for providing a safe workspace for one another. The following are situations that may create a hostile work environment in California:

  • Workplace Bullying: Workplace bullying is unfortunately quite common. Supervisors or coworkers may target you with physical or emotional abuse directed at your race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, or disability. 
  • Sexual Harassment: When you are romantically or sexually pursued against your will or without consent, the workplace may become very hostile. This may include unwelcome touching, staring, and sexual comments or advances. 
  • Discriminatory Harassment: You may be targeted physically, verbally, or emotionally due to race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, or disability.

If you are dealing with a hostile work environment, contact a California employment lawyer with experience helping victims of workplace harassment or discrimination to build your case. 

Can I Collect Damages for a Hostile Work Environment Claim?

You may be able to collect monetary compensation for the damages you have suffered from a hostile work environment. Those damages may include:

  • Emotional stress or damage
  • Psychological stress or damage
  • Lost wages

If you are considering filing a hostile work environment claim, you may want to contact an employment lawyer with the knowledge it takes to understand California’s intricate employment laws. Hiring an employment lawyer will be beneficial in helping to build your claim. Trusted professionals will know to ask any legal questions that may come up throughout the process. 

California Hostile Work Environment Lawyers Are Here to Help

Dealing with a hostile work environment may hinder your ability to complete daily tasks or perform at your best. No one should have to go to work each day feeling targeted or unsafe. If you are experiencing a hostile work environment and want to file a claim, consider contacting an experienced employment lawyer in California. 

Blackstone Law is a leading employment law firm in Los Angeles, California. With extensive experience helping victims of hostile work environments build their claims, our award-winning legal team is here to help you get back to working in a comfortable and safe space. For a free case evaluation, contact us here or call (310) 956-4054.