Sexual Harassment Attorneys · Los Angeles, California
You Didn't Ask for This.
You Don't Have to Accept It.
Sexual harassment is illegal under California law — and you have rights whether you were fired, forced to quit, or are still working through it. Our Los Angeles employment attorneys fight exclusively for employees, never for employers.
$30M+ recovered for California workers · Free consultation · No fee unless we win
What Counts as Sexual Harassment in California?
Sexual harassment is any unwelcome sexual behavior in the workplace — comments, touching, requests for sexual favors, or creating an environment that makes someone feel unsafe because of their sex or gender. It's illegal, and it's one of the most underreported areas of employment law because people feel embarrassed, scared of retaliation, or unsure if what happened “counts.”
California law provides stronger protections than federal law. The most important difference: California covers all employers, even companies with just one employee. A single severe incident can be enough for a claim. And retaliation for reporting is illegal.
Quid Pro Quo Harassment
This is when someone in a position of power ties job benefits to sexual favors. The message is: “Do this for me, or there will be consequences.”
- → A promotion, raise, or good shifts offered in exchange for sexual compliance
- → Threats of demotion, termination, or bad reviews for refusing advances
- → Implied that keeping your job depends on how “friendly” you are
Even one incident of quid pro quo harassment can be enough for a case.
Hostile Work Environment
This is when sexual behavior at work is so frequent or severe that it makes the workplace intimidating, offensive, or impossible to work in. It doesn't have to come from a boss — it can come from coworkers, clients, or anyone in the workplace.
- → Repeated sexual comments, jokes, or innuendos
- → Unwanted touching, groping, or physical contact
- → Sexual messages, images, or explicit content shared at work
- → Persistent unwanted attention after being asked to stop
Situations People Don't Realize Are Harassment
A lot of people dismiss what happened to them because it was at a party, during a work trip, or in a relationship that once seemed mutual. These situations still count.
Work Parties & Happy Hours
A holiday party where a manager gropes or makes sexual comments to someone is still a workplace incident. Attendance was expected. The company is responsible.
Conferences & Business Trips
Out-of-town trips create situations where boundaries blur. A supervisor knocking on your hotel room door or making advances at a conference dinner is harassment.
When a Relationship Ends
You dated a manager and it ended. Now they're giving you the worst assignments, spreading rumors, or making your life miserable. The past relationship doesn't eliminate your rights.
Client & Customer Harassment
Your employer has a legal duty to protect you from client harassment too. If they told you to "deal with it" because the client is important, the company is liable.
Online, Slack & Group Chats
Inappropriate messages in a team Slack channel, sexual DMs from a manager, or explicit content shared in a work group chat are all harassment — even from a personal device.
Male & Non-Binary Employees
Sexual harassment affects all genders. It can happen between people of the same sex. California law protects everyone regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation.
Signs You May Have a Strong Case
Every situation is different. But cases with these facts are typically the strongest — and more likely to result in significant recovery.
You were fired, laid off, demoted, or had your hours cut after the harassment or after reporting it
You felt forced to quit because the harassment was so bad and nothing was done about it
The harassment was by a supervisor or someone in a position of power over you
You reported it to HR or management and the company ignored it, downplayed it, or retaliated
The behavior was repeated — or a single incident was serious enough (physical assault, explicit quid pro quo demand)
You have documentation: texts, emails, Slack messages, notes, or witnesses
The incidents happened within the last 2 years
Other employees experienced the same behavior from the same person
Don't count yourself out. Even if you don't see your situation above, it's worth a conversation. California's harassment protections are broad. The only way to know for sure is to speak with an attorney — and that conversation is free.
Why California Law Is on Your Side
California's Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) provides stronger protections than federal law. Here's what that means for you.
All employers covered
Federal law only covers employers with 15+ employees. California covers every employer — even a company with 1 employee. You are protected regardless of where you work.
One incident can be enough
A single severe incident — like a physical assault, an explicit quid pro quo demand, or the use of a sexual slur — can be enough for a legal claim. It doesn't always require a pattern.
Retaliation is its own violation
Being punished for reporting harassment — fired, demoted, given worse shifts, excluded, or scrutinized more — is a separate illegal act. Many cases involve both harassment and retaliation.
Constructive termination counts
If the harassment was so bad that you felt forced to quit, California treats that as a wrongful termination. You can pursue the same damages as someone who was fired.
Broader definition of harassment
California courts apply a broader standard than federal courts. Behavior that might not qualify under Title VII can still be actionable under FEHA.
Employers must act
California requires employers to take immediate, appropriate corrective action when they know about harassment. An employer who does nothing — or makes it worse — faces significant liability.
Who Can Be Held Liable
California law holds employers responsible for workplace sexual harassment in ways that go beyond what most people expect.
Supervisors & Managers — Automatic Liability
When a supervisor is the harasser, the company is automatically liable — even if you never reported it to HR. You don't need to prove the company knew. The supervisor's conduct is attributed directly to the employer.
Coworkers — When the Employer Knew or Should Have Known
When a coworker is the harasser, the employer is liable if they knew about it (or should have known) and failed to take corrective action. This is why reporting to HR matters — and why an employer ignoring your report makes your case stronger.
Clients & Customers — Employer Has a Duty to Protect You
Employers cannot tell you to tolerate harassment from a client because the client is valuable. If they know a customer is harassing their employees and take no action — or tell you to “deal with it” — they are liable.
We Handle Cases Across Every Industry
Sexual harassment happens everywhere — in restaurants, offices, hospitals, warehouses, and corporate boardrooms. Here are some of the most common situations we see.
Restaurants & Food Service
- →Manager offers better sections or shifts in exchange for sexual compliance — then cuts hours when refused
- →Kitchen staff make constant sexual comments about a coworker's body. Management says "that's just how kitchens are."
Retail
- →Store manager frequently touches an employee's lower back, comments on what she's wearing, and says she's "overreacting" when asked to stop
- →Employee reports a coworker's sexual comments. A week later, she's terminated for a minor policy violation never enforced before
Hotel & Hospitality
- →Front desk employee is told her promotion depends on being "more friendly" with her manager outside of work
- →Housekeeping staff face regular sexual jokes from a supervisor. Multiple employees have complained. Management says it's "just his personality."
Healthcare
- →A doctor repeatedly asks a nurse to meet after hours and makes sexual comments. Hospital administration says the doctor is "too valuable" to discipline
- →Medical assistant reports inappropriate behavior. She's suddenly reassigned to a worse location with fewer hours — and feels forced to quit
Warehouse & Manufacturing
- →Female warehouse worker receives daily sexual jokes, inappropriate drawings at her station, and comments on her body. She's told to "toughen up"
- →Worker reports sexual harassment by a shift lead. The company "investigates" but fires her two weeks later for attendance issues never raised before
Corporate & Office
- →Executive implies a junior employee's career advancement depends on joining him for drinks and being "available"
- →Colleagues make constant comments about a woman's appearance and share explicit content in group chats. HR has been told but calls it "locker room talk."
What You Can Recover
California law allows sexual harassment victims to pursue several types of compensation. The value of a case depends on the severity of the conduct, what you lost, and the employer's response. Our attorneys have recovered millions for employees in situations like yours.
Lost Wages & Benefits
Past and future lost income if you were fired, forced to quit, passed over for promotion, or had your hours cut because of harassment or retaliation.
Emotional Distress
Compensation for the anxiety, depression, humiliation, and trauma caused by the harassment. Often the largest component in sexual harassment cases.
Punitive Damages
When an employer's conduct is particularly egregious — especially if they knew about harassment and did nothing — courts can award additional punitive damages to punish the company.
Attorney's Fees
Under California law, if you win, the employer typically pays your attorney's fees. You owe nothing out of pocket regardless of the outcome of your case.
Reinstatement
If you want your job back, courts can order the employer to reinstate you with the same pay and seniority. Most clients prefer damages, but the option is there.
Policy Changes
Settlements often require employers to update their harassment policies, terminate the harasser, and conduct mandatory training — protecting future employees too.
Don't Wait — California Has a 3-Year Deadline
You have 3 years from the last incident to file a sexual harassment claim in California. If you plan to sue in federal court, the deadline is just 300 days. These deadlines are hard stops — missing them permanently bars your right to compensation, no exceptions.
The sooner you speak with an attorney, the more time there is to gather evidence, locate witnesses, and build your case. Every day matters.
Evidence That Can Support Your Case
People going through sexual harassment often don't realize the evidence they already have. You don't need a video recording. Everyday things can support a powerful case.
Text Messages & DMs
Inappropriate messages from the harasser — sexual comments, requests, suggestive photos, or anything showing the unwanted behavior. Screenshots count.
Work Emails
Emails showing the harassment, or emails to HR reporting it. Even emails to a friend or family member describing what happened at the time can be evidence.
Personal Notes or Journal
If you wrote down what happened — dates, times, what was said — even in a phone notes app, that's a contemporaneous record and it matters.
HR Complaints
Any record of reporting the harassment — written complaints, emails, or even a text to a supervisor. If the company did nothing, the complaint itself becomes evidence.
Witness Statements
Coworkers who saw or heard the harassment. Other employees who experienced the same behavior from the same person are especially valuable.
Performance Review Changes
Good reviews before the harassment or reporting, followed by sudden negative reviews after. The contrast between before and after tells the story.
You don't need perfect evidence to have a case. Your account of what happened matters. Our attorneys know how to build a compelling case from the facts available — including situations where evidence was deleted or the company claims it never happened.
Serving Sexual Harassment Victims Across California
Our employment attorneys represent employees throughout California. We are based in Los Angeles and frequently handle cases from these cities and surrounding areas.
Don't see your city? We serve all of California. Contact us to discuss your case.
Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to the questions we hear most from California employees who experienced workplace sexual harassment.
Do I have to be fired to sue for sexual harassment in California?
No. You can have a valid sexual harassment claim even if you are still employed. If the harassment is ongoing and severe or pervasive enough to create a hostile work environment, you can take legal action without losing your job first. However, cases where an employee was fired, demoted, or forced to quit after harassment — or after reporting it — are typically stronger.
Does sexual harassment have to be physical?
No. Physical contact is not required. Sexual harassment can be entirely verbal or visual — repeated sexual comments, sexual jokes, explicit messages, inappropriate images, or persistent unwanted attention can all be illegal. California law looks at whether the conduct was severe or pervasive enough to create a hostile work environment.
How much is a sexual harassment case worth in California?
It depends on the specifics: severity of the conduct, whether you were fired or forced to quit, documented evidence, and the employer's response. Damages can include lost wages, emotional distress, punitive damages, and attorney's fees. Cases range widely. The best way to understand your case value is to speak directly with an attorney.
How long do I have to file?
In California, you have 3 years from the last incident to file with the Civil Rights Department (CRD). If you want to file a federal lawsuit, the deadline is 300 days. These are strict deadlines — missing them permanently bars your claim.
Can I still have a case if it happened at a work party?
Yes. Work events — holiday parties, happy hours, conferences, business trips — are considered extensions of the workplace. If a manager or coworker harassed you at a work-related event, your employer can still be held liable. The location doesn't matter.
What if the relationship was once consensual?
A past consensual relationship doesn't eliminate your right to a harassment-free workplace. If the relationship ended and the other person then used their position to punish you, harass you, or create a hostile environment — that's still harassment.
What if HR did nothing when I reported it?
An employer's failure to act after receiving a complaint is powerful evidence of liability. California law requires employers to take immediate, appropriate corrective action when they know about harassment. If they ignored your complaint or retaliated against you for making it, the company's exposure increases significantly.
Can men be sexually harassed?
Yes. Sexual harassment affects all genders — men, women, and non-binary individuals. It can also occur between people of the same sex. California law protects everyone regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation.
What if I can't prove it? It was my word against theirs.
Many strong cases start with exactly this situation. Your testimony is evidence. Texts, emails, notes, witnesses, and the pattern of what happened before and after you reported all add up. Even if the harasser denies everything, an experienced attorney knows how to build a compelling case from the available facts.
What does "no fee unless we win" actually mean?
It means you pay nothing out of pocket — ever. We work on contingency: we advance all costs, and only get paid if we win or settle your case. If we don't recover anything for you, you owe us nothing. This is how we make legal representation accessible to every worker regardless of their financial situation.
You Have Rights. Find Out Where You Stand.
Our attorneys have helped over 1,000 California workers recover what they were owed. The consultation is free, everything you share is confidential, and you never pay unless we win.
Based in Los Angeles · Serving all of California · Se Habla Español
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