While any type of harassment in the workplace is unlawful, unfortunately it does continue to happen in workplaces in the state of California. Harassment is defined as any type of behavior that creates what is known as a “hostile environment” in the workplace. A hostile environment means that you as the harassment victim feel uncomfortable or embarrassed to attend work and to be in the workplace, and you may have difficulty concentrating on the work at hand because of the harassing behavior.
While harassment in the workplace is unlawful in itself, there are also many regulations and protections in place for the victim of the harassment, or the person who makes a complaint about it on behalf of another. If a formal complaint is made about sexual harassment in the workplace, the person making the complaint has protection from any form of retaliation.
What is workplace retaliation?
When a person experiences some type of punishment as a result of making a complaint at work, this is known as workplace retaliation. Many people unfortunately experience workplace retaliation after making a complaint of sexual harassment; however, it is always unlawful. Forms of retaliation can include being fired, being demoted or being refused a promotion for no good reason, and it can also include having your hours cut for no good reason.
If you have experienced reduced hours after making a complaint of workplace sexual harassment, you may have been retaliated against. Therefore, it is important that you learn more about your legal options. An experienced sexual harassment attorney can help.