Many California employees are surprised to discover that workplace sexual harassment does not have to be directed at them personally for them to have a viable legal claim. Under the Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA)—California’s principal law prohibiting workplace discrimination and harassment—employees who witness or overhear sexually harassing behavior may still be entitled to legal protection. These so-called “bystander” claims acknowledge that a workplace permeated b

Sexual harassment is a pervasive issue in the workplace, and California employment law provides several avenues for employees to address this problem. One such avenue is the strict liability standard that applies to harassment committed by a supervisor or someone with supervisory authority. What is the Strict Liability Standard? Under a strict liability standard, an employer is held strictly liable for any sexual harassment committed by a supervisor or someone with supervisor

In California, the Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) provides broad protections against discrimination and retaliation in the workplace. While employers often assume they have discretion when deciding whether to renew seasonal or temporary employees’ contracts, non-renewal decisions are not immune from legal scrutiny. If an employer declines to renew a seasonal worker’s contract due to their membership in a protected class (e.g., race, sex, disability) or in retaliation