Sex Discrimination Lawyer Simi Valley, CA
If you believe you’re the victim of gender discrimination at work, you should get in touch with a sex discrimination lawyer in Simi Valley, CA. Discrimination that is based on sex or gender is unfortunately a common violation in many workplace environments and industries. Every day people are discriminated against because of assumptions or judgments based on their sex. Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act outlaws employers discrimination based on race, color, religion, nationality and sex. These laws are designed to protect workers from mistreatment. If you have experienced harassment or other forms of mistreatment at work, you should know that you have legal options. You don’t have to put up with this type of treatment forever. A lawyer can help you pursue a legal claim against your employer.
Reporting Sex Discrimination
Sex or gender discrimination can come in many forms, and they are not always easy to spot. Some forms of mistreatment are obvious, such as sexual harassment, while other actions are more subtle. Even if a worker recognizes that they are are being discriminated against, many workers who experience sex discrimination are hesitant to report the incident or series of incidents. They fear retaliation from their boss or judgment by their fellow coworkers. One of the concerns that sex discrimination victims have is that they will not be believed or that their report will not be resolved properly, with no consequences for the person who committed the violation.
If you have been discriminated against, you should still take action to report your experience. There are a number of basic steps that you can take to report the issue. You can try to directly confront your harasser and tell them that their behavior will not be tolerated and they must stop it. If that doesn’t work, you can report the incident to your employer’s HR department and they will tell you what steps to take. Victims also have the option of filing a claim with government agencies such as the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). If they determine that you have a valid case, Speaking with a lawyer to understand your legal options so that you can file a lawsuit against the individual is also an action that you can take.
Signs of Sex Discrimination at Work
Even in this day and age, sex discrimination still exists in the workplace. However, the discrimination may not always be so obvious. There are some scenarios that you would not immediately think of as sex discrimination. It is important to recognize sex discrimination in all of its varied forms. When you are able to recognize discrimination going on against you or others, you will be able to take quicker action. Here are a few signs to look out for.
- Male Employees’ Comments Get Taken More Seriously During Meetings: It can be very discouraging if male employees’ comments always get taken more seriously at meetings than female employees’ comments. For example, you may have spent a while finding a way to cut costs at your company and present your idea at a meeting, and no one seems that interested. A little while later, a male employee suggests a similar idea and everyone is all ears. This could be a sign of gender discrimination. Everyone should be given the same respect regardless of sex or gender and deserves to be heard.
- Your Employer Often Asks If You’re Having Kids: It is not appropriate to bring up the subject of having kids in the workplace. In fact, it could actually be a sign of gender discrimination. If you notice that your employer frequently asks you if you plan on having kids soon, he or she may worry that you won’t be as committed to your job if you do become pregnant. This is also a concern that is often raised by employers when they are interviewing candidates for a promotion. A worker’s decision to have a child or become a parent is a private matter and should not be used against them.
- Female Employees Get Disciplined More Harshly Than Male Employees: If you notice that female employees are usually disciplined more harshly than their male counterparts, there may be gender discrimination at your workplace. For instance, if you got written up for being a few minutes late to work while a male employee didn’t get disciplined for being late, you should contact a sex discrimination lawyer in Simi Valley, CA.
- You Receive Regular Comments About Your Appearance: It’s one thing to make an occasional comment on your outfit, such as, “That is a nice dress.” However, if your boss or coworkers frequently make comments about your appearance, it may be another sign of sex discrimination. If the comments have sexual connotations or are sexual in nature, it could qualify as harassment. These comments have no place in a work environment.
- Male Employees Always Receive Promotions Over Female Employees: A typical example of sex discrimination is when employees of a certain sex or gender are given promotions over other workers. If the female employees in your workplace never receive promotions, despite having the same qualifications as the male employees, discrimination may be taking place.
Learning how to recognize sex discrimination can help you take action sooner. Such scenarios happen all too often and have a severe impact on workers. Schedule a consultation with a sex discrimination lawyer like those at Barry P. Goldberg in Simi Valley, CA today.
3 Types of Sex Discrimination
Sex discrimination is not an easy concern to address in the office. Despite its frequency, many females hesitate to come forward and might even be intimidated by employers or pressured by colleagues to keep silent. Make a consultation with a sex discrimination lawyer like those at Barry P. Goldberg in Simi Valley, CA today.
Yet, all staff members have rights under both federal and state law indicated to address office sex discrimination. In this post, we’ll take a look at five types of sex discrimination you ought to know now in order to protect yourself, and your career, from prejudiced behavior.
Quid Pro Quo
Quid pro quo sexual harassment is a type of sex discrimination made well known by such iconic cases as Anita Hill v. Clarence Thomas and the recent $20 million settlement in Gretchen Carlsen’s case versus Fox News. It happens when a company conditions terms of work needing staff members to perform sexual favors.
Quid pro quo sex harassment can handle the form of a simple request for dating in exchange for a promo or get even more egregious, with requests for sexual acts in the workplace as a requirement for ongoing work.
It does not take an all out deal from a company for sex acts to certify as quid pro quo sex discrimination. Even if the company just hints that a promotion, pay increase or comparable benefit will be provided to an employee if he or she engages in a sexual act or submits to requests for sexual favors, this can be thought about quid pro quo unwanted sexual advances in a court of law.
Unwanted Sexual Advances & Hostile Environment
Quid pro quo sexual harassment is just one form of sex discrimination. Beyond that, sexual harassment is a broad category of sex discrimination including a number of illegal actions from a company. Schedule a consultation with a sex discrimination lawyerby calling Barry P. Goldberg in Simi Valley, CA today.
Courts take a look at sexual harassment claims based on the scenarios of each case. The normal analysis is based on whether or not the advances a worker has experienced are unwanted and extreme. To put it simply, simple teasing or undesirable chatter might not suffice to successfully litigate a case for sexual harassment. Courts consider whether the actions in question were enough to create a hostile environment– one that would make it unreasonably tough for a staff member to perform his/her job.
When a company’s behavior is both unwelcome and egregious, they can get an employer into trouble. A company is accountable for putting a stop to sexual harassment it understands, or fairly need to have understood, of and when an employer stops working to stop it, it could be held accountable for developing a hostile environment for staff members. Manager managers and others in positions of sufficient authority and control over a staff member can make the whole company vicariously liable for such acts.
Sex Discrimination and Gender Expression
Sexual harassment, sex discrimination, and hostile workplace claims arise every day, and transgendered persons may be more likely to experience sex discrimination on the job or while conducting everyday business and commerce. Experienced attorneys can help transgendered persons who believe they are experiencing discrimination.
Gender Identity in the Workplace
If you are a transgendered person and you feel you are being subjected to discriminatory treatment at work, an experienced sex discrimination lawyer in Simi Valley CA can help process your claim and make sure that your rights under federal and state law are not being violated. Discrimination against transgendered persons often involves elements of the many types of harassment familiar to the general public, the mistreatment is often taken a step further and may include:
- Insensitive or derogatory jokes made about transgendered people
- Continued and pervasive use of incorrect pronouns
- Denial of access to a gender-appropriate or gender-neutral restroom
- Personal questions that are intrusive and cross a person’s boundaries
If you have brought discriminatory treatment to your company’s attention and they have not taken sufficient action to remedy the situation, an experienced attorney at the office of Barry P. Goldberg will assess your case and advise on the appropriate course of action necessary to make sure that you are treated fairly in the workplace.
Denial of Commerce Opportunities and Services
While federal and state laws can protect transgendered employees, the same protections are not always offered to transgendered persons in the process of purchasing goods and services or obtaining access to public spaces. In California, it is not legal to deny transgendered persons access to public spaces, even if the operating business is a religious organization, and even in states that do not specifically cite gender identity or gender expression in nondiscrimination statutes, transgender persons may be protected while participating in commerce and purchasing goods and services. Attorneys at the office of Barry P. Goldberg can assist you in filing a claim against a business if you are subjected to discriminatory treatment on its premises, including but not limited to:
- Denial of access to an appropriate restroom or fitting room
- Refusal to provide services
- Refusal to appropriately address harassment by staff or patrons
Every situation is unique, and if you feel that you were discriminated against based on your gender expression, a skilled sex discrimination lawyer in Simi Valley CA can assess your claim and help determine whether you are entitled to any compensation or remuneration.
Same Sex Discrimination
We frequently think of cases of sex discrimination including females staff members introducing accusations versus male managers or supervisors, however that is not constantly the case. A worker of any sex can experience sex discrimination, and this kind of discrimination can likewise occur between people of the exact same sex also.
Call the sex discrimination lawyers at Barry P. Goldberg in Simi Valley, California today.