Harassment

Harassment

What to Do If You Feel You Are Harassed

If you believe that you are being harassed or discriminated against or denied a legal right, you should complain to your supervisor, Human Resources Department and/or the business owner, in writing immediately. Send an e-mail, letter or interoffice e memorandum and keep a copy for your records. Look in your employee handbook or at the company’s sexual harassment policy (if any) to see who is designated to receive complaints. Follow your company’s procedure for reporting your claims and document your actions in writing. Keep notes of whom you spoke to, when you spoke to them and what was said. Identify any witnesses to the conversations and always memorialize the conversations in a memorandum or letter that you send to the employer. The law protects people from being retaliated against for exercising their lawful rights in the workplace. Contact the Dolan Law Firm for a free case evaluation.

An individual who has suffered unlawful conduct, inc California, in violation of their rights under the Fair Employment and Housing Act (such as discrimination and or harassment based on membership in a protected classification) must file a complaint with the Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH), generally within one year of the conduct (there are limited exceptions in some cases) or they may lose their right to pursue legal action for this conduct. Information on, and forms provided by, the DFEH and its complaint process can be found at http://www.dfeh.ca.gov/complaint.asp.