Los Angeles Workplace Harassment Lawyer

Workplace Harassment Lawyer Los Angeles, CA

If you’ve been subjected to harassment at work based on your race, gender, religion, disability, sexual orientation, age, or another protected characteristic, California law gives you the right to take action. Employers have a legal obligation to prevent this conduct and address it when it happens. When they fail, they can be held accountable.

Our Los Angeles, CA workplace harassment lawyer at The Bloom Firm represents employees who have experienced harassment that made their jobs unbearable. We take these cases on contingency, so you pay nothing unless we recover compensation for you. If harassment has affected your ability to do your job or forced you out of a position you worked hard to earn, contact us for a free consultation.

Why Choose The Bloom Firm for Workplace Harassment Cases in Los Angeles, CA?

Attorneys Who Handle Harassment Claims Across Industries

Workplace harassment looks different depending on the industry, the power dynamics involved, and the characteristics being targeted. A construction worker facing racial slurs deals with something different than an office employee enduring subtle but persistent gender-based hostility. Both situations violate California law, but building the cases requires understanding how harassment manifests in different environments.

We have represented clients in entertainment, healthcare, hospitality, retail, corporate offices, and blue-collar industries. We’ve handled cases involving explicit misconduct that left no doubt about what was happening, and we’ve handled cases where the harassment was quieter but no less damaging. The common thread is employers who either participated in the conduct or allowed it to continue when they should have stopped it.

Lisa Bloom founded The Bloom Firm in 2010 after building a career representing victims against powerful institutions and individuals. She earned her J.D. from Yale Law School in 1986. Her cases have included representing a client who alleged a KKK-style sheet was hung over his workstation, one of many examples of the workplace hostility she has confronted over three decades. Super Lawyers has recognized her every year since 2015, and she appears regularly on CNN, ABC, CBS, and NBC as a legal analyst.

Arick Fudali serves as Partner and Managing Attorney. Before turning to civil rights litigation, he prosecuted criminal cases in Broward County, Florida, developing the skills to build cases from evidence and present them persuasively. He graduated from the University of Florida Levin College of Law in 2010 and holds bar licenses in California, New York, and Florida. Since 2011, he has focused on representing employees in harassment and discrimination matters.

Our employment lawyer in Los Angeles, CA handles the claims that frequently accompany harassment cases, including retaliation, wrongful termination, and discrimination.

What We’ve Recovered

Our firm has won millions of dollars for employees in harassment, discrimination, and employment cases. We have taken on employers who believed their resources would outlast our clients’ resolve, and we have proven them wrong. When companies allow harassment to persist, we make sure they face consequences.

How We Charge

Contingency. You pay nothing upfront and owe nothing unless we win. We structure our fees this way because pursuing justice should not depend on having money in the bank.

What Clients Say

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“The Bloom Firm was there for me when I needed them most. They fought hard and never gave up. I would recommend them to anyone who needs an attorney who truly cares.” — Margaret Jacob, Client

Read more reviews on our Google Business Profile.

Types of Workplace Harassment Cases We Handle in Los Angeles

Workplace harassment becomes illegal when it targets employees because of protected characteristics and becomes severe or pervasive enough to affect working conditions. Here’s what we see:

  • Racial harassment. Slurs, racist jokes, offensive imagery, comments about accents or national origin, and patterns of exclusion based on race or ethnicity. Sometimes the conduct is blatant. Other times it operates through microaggressions and differential treatment that accumulates until the message becomes clear. Both forms violate California law when they create hostile conditions. We’ve handled cases involving explicit racial hostility and cases where the discrimination was subtler but equally damaging.
  • Sexual harassment. Unwanted advances, comments about bodies or appearance, touching without consent, sexual jokes, explicit images, and quid pro quo demands that tie job benefits to sexual favors. Sexual harassment remains one of the most common forms of workplace misconduct, and employers continue to tolerate it despite decades of legal developments making their liability clear.
  • Gender-based harassment. Not all gender harassment involves sexual content. Some involves hostility toward women in male-dominated fields, toward men in roles traditionally held by women, or toward anyone who doesn’t conform to expected gender norms. Comments suggesting women don’t belong in certain positions, treatment designed to push someone out, and conduct targeting gender expression all violate California law.
  • Disability harassment. Mocking medical conditions, imitating physical limitations, making comments about accommodations, and treating disabled employees as burdens rather than colleagues. These cases frequently accompany failure-to-accommodate claims. The employer harasses the employee while also refusing to provide reasonable accommodations required by law.
  • Religious harassment. Ridiculing someone’s faith, pressuring employees to participate in religious activities that conflict with their beliefs, making comments about religious dress or practices, and creating environments where employees of certain faiths feel unwelcome. California law requires employers to stop this conduct when they become aware of it.
  • Age-based harassment. Older employees hear comments about being out of touch, get excluded from projects involving new technology, face constant suggestions about retirement, and watch younger colleagues receive opportunities they’re denied. When age-related harassment becomes pervasive enough to alter working conditions, it supports legal claims.
  • Hostile work environment. This is the legal framework for most workplace harassment claims. The conduct must be based on a protected characteristic and must be severe or pervasive enough to change the conditions of employment. A single extreme incident can qualify, but more often these cases involve patterns of conduct that build over time.
  • Retaliation. You reported harassment. Your employer responded by making your work life worse instead of addressing the problem. Retaliation for reporting harassment is itself illegal and creates a separate claim. These claims sometimes produce larger damages than the underlying harassment because punishing employees for coming forward is so clearly wrong.

California Legal Requirements for Workplace Harassment

California’s workplace harassment laws provide strong protections for employees. Understanding them helps clarify what your employer was required to do and why they may face liability.

The California Fair Employment and Housing Act prohibits harassment based on protected characteristics including race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, age, disability, and military or veteran status. FEHA applies to employers with five or more employees and imposes obligations to prevent harassment and respond appropriately when it occurs.

Under FEHA, employers are strictly liable for harassment committed by supervisors. This means the company is responsible even if upper management claims they had no knowledge of the supervisor’s conduct. For harassment by coworkers, employers face liability when they knew or should have known about the behavior and failed to take immediate corrective action.

California Government Code Section 12940 details these requirements. It also prohibits retaliation against employees who report harassment, file complaints, or participate in investigations. Punishing someone for opposing harassment creates independent liability.

The California Civil Rights Department enforces FEHA and investigates workplace harassment complaints. Before filing a lawsuit, employees typically must obtain a right-to-sue notice from this agency.

Federal law provides additional protection through Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, enforced by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Title VII applies to employers with 15 or more employees. California law often provides broader coverage, but you may have claims under both.

California’s Department of Industrial Relations provides additional resources for workers facing unsafe or hostile conditions, including information about filing complaints and understanding your rights.

You have three years from the last act of harassment to file an administrative complaint with the Civil Rights Department. Waiting too long can permanently eliminate your ability to pursue a claim, regardless of how clear the evidence might be.

Important Aspects of a Los Angeles Workplace Harassment Case

workplace harassment attorney in Los Angeles, CAWorkplace harassment cases depend on proving a pattern of conduct, showing your employer’s failure to respond, and demonstrating the harassment was serious enough to alter your working conditions. These elements shape how cases develop.

Building Your Evidence

Start documenting now. Write down what happened, when it happened, who did it, who witnessed it, and what was said or done. Be specific about dates and times. Save every email, text message, voicemail, and photograph that relates to the harassment. Screenshot communications before they can be deleted. The evidence you gather and preserve will form the foundation of your case. Many victims don’t realize how much immediate documentation affects their ability to pursue claims later.

Reporting to Your Employer

For coworker harassment, your employer’s liability often depends on whether they knew about the conduct. Report incidents through your company’s designated channels, typically HR. Report in writing whenever possible so you have a record. Keep copies of every complaint you submit. Document whether and how your employer responded. If they ignored you, conducted a cursory investigation, or allowed the harassment to continue, their failure becomes central to your case.

Your Employer’s Response

Did your employer take your complaint seriously? Did they investigate promptly? Did the harassment stop? Employers who respond appropriately to complaints may limit their liability. Employers who dismiss concerns, conduct sham investigations, or fail to take corrective action face significant exposure. How they handled the situation matters as much as what originally happened.

The Legal Standard

California law requires harassment to be severe or pervasive to create a hostile work environment. Not every offensive comment qualifies. One extreme incident might be enough, such as a physical assault or explicit threat. More commonly, harassment claims involve repeated conduct that accumulates over weeks or months until conditions become intolerable. Understanding this standard helps you evaluate whether your experience rises to the level of a legal claim.

Connecting to Protected Characteristics

General workplace bullying, while unpleasant, may not violate FEHA unless it connects to a protected characteristic. The harassment must target you because of your race, sex, religion, disability, or another protected status. Our attorneys analyze whether the conduct you experienced fits within FEHA’s framework. Cases involving job discrimination based on protected characteristics frequently overlap with harassment claims.

What You Can Recover

Employees who prove workplace harassment may recover damages for emotional distress, lost wages if they were terminated or forced to resign, and punitive damages in cases involving particularly egregious conduct. The amount depends on the severity and duration of harassment and its impact on your life and career. Cases involving harassment based on multiple protected characteristics may support additional claims.

Contact The Bloom Firm

Workplace harassment takes a real toll. It affects your ability to do your job, your mental health, your relationships outside work, and sometimes your physical wellbeing. California law recognizes this harm and holds employers accountable when they allow it to happen.

We offer free consultations to evaluate your situation and explain your options. Our contingency fee arrangement means you pay nothing unless we recover money for you. We have represented employees facing racial hostility, sexual misconduct, disability harassment, religious discrimination, and other forms of workplace abuse throughout Los Angeles.

You should not have to endure harassment as the price of keeping your job. If your employer has allowed a hostile environment to develop and refused to fix it, contact The Bloom Firm. We will fight to hold them accountable.

Types of Workplace Harassment Cases We Handle

workplace harassment lawyer in Los Angeles, CAWorkplace harassment can take many forms, and it is not always limited to one type of behavior. In some cases, it involves repeated comments or actions, while in others it may stem from a single serious incident. When this conduct is tied to protected traits or becomes severe enough, you’ll need your Los Angeles workplace harassment lawyer to step in and support you. The Bloom Firm is ready to use our decades of experience to help you protect your rights. Take a look at the harassment-related matters we handle, and contact us today.

  • Harassment Based On Race: Repeated remarks, jokes, or conduct tied to race or ethnicity can create a hostile work environment. These cases often involve patterns that show ongoing unequal treatment.
  • Gender-Based Harassment: Employees may face unfair treatment, comments, or conduct based on gender. As your work harassment attorney can explain, this behavior can affect job performance and workplace conditions over time.
  • Sexual Harassment: Unwanted advances, comments, or conduct of a sexual nature may support a claim. Your workplace misconduct attorney will focus on how frequent and severe the behavior is.
  • Disability-Related Harassment: Employees with disabilities may experience mocking, exclusion, or unfair treatment. These actions can interfere with their ability to perform their job.
  • Religious Harassment: Treatment based on religious beliefs or practices may include offensive comments or pressure to change behavior. These situations may violate workplace protections.
  • Harassment Based On National Origin: You should contact your LA workplace harassment lawyer if comments or conduct tied to a your background, accent, or culture have created a hostile setting. These claims often involve repeated behavior over time.
  • Age-Based Harassment: Older employees may face jokes, negative remarks, or pressure related to their age. This type of conduct can affect job security and opportunities.
  • Harassment By Supervisors: When a manager engages in inappropriate conduct, the impact can be more serious due to their authority. These cases often involve pressure or fear of retaliation.
  • Harassment By Coworkers: Inappropriate behavior is not limited to supervisors. Coworkers may also create a hostile environment, and employers may be responsible if they fail to act.
  • Harassment By Third Parties: Some employees face misconduct from clients, customers, or vendors. Employers may still have a duty to address this behavior when it affects their staff.
  • Retaliation After Complaints: Reporting harassment should not lead to discipline, reduced hours, or termination. If negative action follows a complaint, it may point to retaliation – but your job harassment claim lawyer can protect you.
  • Failure To Address Complaints: Employers are expected to respond to reports and take reasonable steps to stop the behavior. When complaints are ignored or handled poorly, the situation may continue.

Contact Us Today

At The Bloom Firm, we take a straightforward approach to these matters. We review the facts, explain your options, and help you decide how to move forward. It’s how we’ve secured millions of dollars for our clients, and we’re ready to represent you next. If you believe you have experienced harassment at work, reach out to us today to discuss your situation with a Los Angeles workplace harassment lawyer from our team.