Sexual harassment and discrimination are two of the biggest issues facing employers and employees in the workplace today.  Sexual harassment may be subtle, or may be more severe and outright, but either way, this type of conduct in the workplace leaves employees frequently questioning whether to report conduct internally or externally for fear of retaliation. This type of conduct in the workplace is also problematic for employers, who have a duty to investigate complaints of sexual harassment. If such complaints are not addressed, and the conduct is not tempered, the employer may be faced with the potential for a lawsuit and significant financial exposure.

Like sexual harassment, discrimination in the workplace is illegal, yet unfortunately, it may be a significant issue for many employers and employees. While discrimination may come in many forms, it generally occurs on the basis of one’s inclusion in one of the following protected classes: race, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and medical conditions related to pregnancy), age (40 and over), religious creed, color, ancestry, disability, marital status, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, genetic information, medical condition, denial of Family and Medical Care Leave, and military and veteran status.

The attorneys at Berger & Williams, LLP are experienced in California and Federal laws that relate to sexual harassment and discrimination, and have a keen understanding in how to help employers and employees address these issues in the workplace. We work with employers to prepare and review policies and procedures regarding sexual harassment and discrimination so that employers can educate their employees on the law and ensure compliance with the same.  We also conduct workplace investigations and trainings for employers on these topics in order to provide an added level of assurance that our clients understand the do’s and don’ts in the workplace. In the event of litigation, we aggressively represent our clients in prosecuting and defending against sexual harassment and discrimination claims.