Los Angeles Gender Harassment Lawyers

Los Angeles has some of the strictest employment laws in the nation, preserving your right to receive fair treatment and equal benefits and protecting you from gender harassment in the workplace.

Los Angeles employees are protected from gender harassment under both federal and state laws. The most relevant state law is the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), which applies to employers with 5 or more employees and provides robust protections against many forms of workplace harassment, including gender-based harassment.

A gender harassment lawyer can help you evaluate whether the conduct meets the legal standard of being “severe or pervasive,” identify who may be responsible such as a supervisor, coworker, vendor, or customer, and guide you through a complaint process designed to reduce the risk of retaliation. 

In Los Angeles, gender harassment is defined broadly under FEHA, covering behavior related to an individual’s sex, gender, gender identity, or gender expression. An experienced employment attorney can also determine whether your situation may involve related claims such as discrimination, retaliation, or wrongful termination, and advise on potential legal remedies, including compensatory and punitive damages that are not capped under California law.

If you are facing gender harassment in the workplace, call us at 310-987-4226 or complete the contact form on this page to speak with our legal team.

Key Rights Under FEHA Against Gender Harassment and Gender Discrimination

• Protection from Harassment: FEHA protects Los Angeles employees from gender harassment not only by their employers but also by co-workers and third parties like customers or vendors if the employer knows about the harassment and fails to take appropriate corrective action.
• Definition of Harassment: Los Angeles gender harassment under FEHA includes any unwelcome verbal, visual, or physical conduct of a gender-related nature that is severe or pervasive enough to create a hostile work environment. This form of harassment does not necessarily have to be sexual in nature—it can include demeaning comments, slurs, or derogatory statements related to a person’s gender.
• Definition of Discrimination: Gender discrimination under FEHA refers to unfair treatment or disparate impact experienced by individuals based on their sex, gender, gender identity, or gender expression in employment settings.
• Employer Responsibility: Los Angeles employers have a legal duty to take reasonable steps to prevent and promptly correct harassing behavior. This includes implementing effective anti-harassment policies, providing training to employees, and taking complaints seriously.
• No Retaliation: Los Angeles employees are also protected from retaliation if they complain about gender harassment, participate in an investigation, or testify in proceedings about harassment.

What to Do Next: Document the Harassment and Get Legal Guidance

What you do next can affect your options. If you can do so safely, start documenting what happened (dates, witnesses, exact words, screenshots, chat logs, schedules, and any reports you made). If the harassment involves misgendering, gendered insults, or stereotypes about how you “should” look or act, write down how often it occurs and who is involved.

If HR is involved, keep copies of your complaint and the employer’s response. Even if management tells you the behavior is “just a joke” or “not a big deal,” repeated conduct can still support a hostile work environment claim.

At Matern Law Group, you can talk through what happened, what you have already reported, and what outcome you are seeking, whether that is the harassment stopping, a workplace accommodation, reinstatement, or financial recovery.

A consultation with our Los Angeles gender harassment lawyers can also help you understand common employer defenses and how to respond when the company tries to minimize the conduct, shift blame, or pressure you to “move on.”

Learn more about our local practice through our Los Angeles Law Firm page, or explore related matters handled by our employment lawyers and discrimination lawyers.

Use the confidential Contact Us form below to request a case evaluation.

Examples of Gender Discrimination and Harassment

1. Example 1: A Los Angeles male employee frequently makes derogatory comments about women being less capable and more emotional than men. This conduct could be considered gender harassment if it is severe or pervasive enough to create a hostile or intimidating work environment.
2. Example 2: A transgender Los Angeles woman is subjected to continual misgendering by her colleagues and supervisors, despite her requests to be addressed by her chosen name and pronouns. This behavior can constitute gender harassment.
3. Example 3: A Los Angeles female employee receives repeated, unsolicited remarks about her appearance and gender-specific comments that suggest she got her job only because of her gender. Such comments could rise to the level of harassment if they are part of a broader pattern of demeaning treatment based on her gender.
4. Example 4: A manager frequently jokes about a Los Angeles male employee’s responsibilities as a father and mocks him for taking leave to attend to parental duties, suggesting that such duties should only concern women. This could be seen as harassment based on gender stereotypes.
5. Example 5: During a team meeting, a female supervisor outlines project instructions when a Los Angeles male employee interrupts her and says he would rather hear the instructions from the male supervisor in the office. This could be seen as gender discrimination.

California law robustly protects employees subjected to workplace harassment that creates intimidating, hostile, or offensive environments. These protections go beyond federal standards, covering more protected characteristics and smaller employers.

We understand how intimidating it can be to speak out against your employer, a large corporation, or others who may hold power over you. As experienced employment and gender harassment lawyers, our office recognizes the unique challenges and sensitivities involved in these cases.

While legal cases can be lengthy and complicated, we will guide you through every step of the process, making sure you understand your options. We can also help you assess timing considerations and preserve evidence while the situation is unfolding.

If you are subjected to gender harassment in the Los Angeles workplace, Matern Law Group’s lawyers understand the complexities of gender discrimination claims under California law and are committed to helping you pursue justice. We are dedicated to fighting for your rights and pursuing the compensation you may be owed for unlawful gender-based harassment and discrimination.