Hostile Work Environment
KEL Attorneys is an advocate for the protection of the legal rights of workers and employees. Our firm provides the highest level of professional representation and litigation services. We are committed to protecting the legal rights of each of our clients.
Employment law is a specific legal practice covering the types of legal disputes relating to employee pay, employment status, and the employees’ right to be treated fairly.
An employer has certain legal obligations to their employees, and when they fail to adhere to them, it can be cause for a legal claim by the employee. This legal claim typically will seek to recover lost or denied wages, or seek damages for the infractions committed against them.
If you have a question or concern about a possible employment or labor dispute claim, please call us for a free consultation at 888-238-2686. We handle employment law cases including, but not limited to:
Hostile work environment is a form of harassment that occurs when undesirable comments or conduct based on sex, race or other sensitive topics, interferes with an employee’s ability to perform their responsibilities, or creates an intimidating or offensive work environment. This type of harassment can come from anyone from a manager to a co-worker, or even a non-employee, such as a vendor/contractor or guest. The victim of this harassment can be anyone who is negatively affected by the offensive conduct.
A successful hostile work environment harassment claim requires several elements:
• The claim must come from a member of a statutorily protected
class
• The employee was subjected to unwelcome verbal or physical conduct
related to their membership in that protected class
• The conduct in question was based on his or her membership in that
protected class
• The conduct affected a term of condition of employment
Actions creating a sexually-based hostile work environment may include:
• Staring in a sexually suggestive manner
• Offensive remarks about looks, clothing, body parts
• Inappropriate touching in a way that may make an employee feel
uncomfortable
• Sexual or lewd jokes, hanging sexual posters, making sexual
gestures, etc
• Sending, forwarding or soliciting sexually suggestive letters,
notes, emails, or images
Actions creating a non-sexual based hostile work environment may include:
• Racially derogatory words, phrases, epithets
• Gestures, pictures or drawings which would offend a particular
racial or ethnic group
• Comments about an individual’s skin color or other racial/ethnic
characteristics
• Disparaging remarks about an individual’s gender that are not
sexual in nature
• Negative comments about an employee’s religious beliefs
• Negative stereotypes regarding an employee’s birthplace or
ancestry
• Negative comments regarding an employee’s age when referring to
employees 40 and over
• Derogatory or intimidating references to an employee’s mental or
physical impairment
If you believe you have been a victim of hostile work environment harassment, it is important to contact an experienced attorney immediately. Please call us for a free consultation at 888-238-2686.