Sexual Harassment

How would you like a lawsuit with those fries? McDonalds is no stranger to being sued. If you’ve seen the movie “The Founder” then you know that the company didn’t exactly start out lawsuit-free. Over the years, Micky Ds has fought battles over hot coffee injuries, overcharging customers, and of late, the sexual harassment of…

In what seems to be the silver lining in the dark cloud that was the Harvey Weinstein sexual harassment claims and the rise of the #MeToo movement, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission reports that in 2018, sexual harassment claims increased by 13.6% over the previous year, while the total number of complaints of workplace…

A recent law designed to protect child actors by providing sexual harassment prevention training is being delayed. Deadline reports that, according to the California Labor Commissioner’s office, the reason for the delay is that the two vendors contracted to provide the necessary training materials weren’t getting the job done. One vendor, according to Deadline, was…

At the climax of the Me Too movement, governmental leaders in California were unable to answer the most basic questions about the pervasive sexual harassment complaints swirling through state government agencies. The reason is that in 2012, the state shut down its system for tracking harassment and discrimination allegations. (The justification for this involved the…

A recently released report revealed some interesting statistics in the wake of the #MeToo and #TimesUp movement – that more Californians experience sexual harassment than anyone else in the country. The report states that sexual harassment and assault cases in our state are 5% higher for women, and 10% higher for men (especially gay or…

If you are the victim of a hostile work environment, your employer may be in violation of both federal and California employment laws. These laws define and protect workers from illegal workplace harassment. However, it is important to understand that the type of harassment that produces a hostile work environment under the law must be…

Sexual harassment in the workplace can be frustrating and frightening. The idea that someone in a position of power and authority over you is making unwanted sexual advances can make you fearful about your future. You are sure that this behavior is illegal. You decide to file a complaint with Human Resources, but you then…

The California State Capitol was the focus of a flurry of bombshell allegations last fall even in the midst of national reports of sexual abuse scandals beginning to rock the popular culture, one by one. In October, nearly 150 women with unified voice signed a letter directing attention to and condemning pervasive “dehumanizing behavior by…

Calling for a change to court rules on public records, California Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye said on April 10, 2018 that she wants state courts to disclose the names of all judges who enter into settlement agreements that resolve sexual harassment or sexual discrimination complaints. According to a statement, Justice Cantil-Sakauye has created a five-member…

Recent attention and media coverage relating to the #MeToo movement has lawmakers drafting new legislation to protect victims against sexual harassments in the workplace. A bipartisan bill aims to end forced arbitration used to resolve workplace disputes regarding sexual harassment. The “Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Harassment Act of 2017,” although introduced last December, is…