New Jersey Lawyers Represent Victims of Hostile Work Environments

Sexual harassment attorneys combat offensive conduct in the workplace

Hostile work environment sexual harassment occurs when an employee is subjected to unwelcome verbal or physical treatment so pervasive that it makes the workplace hostile or intolerable. This type of conduct can involve co-workers, superiors, or even individuals whom employees deal with or who enter the work environment (such as customers or vendors).  A direct employer need not participate in the behavior. The company may be liable if it does not have policies in place to deal with such misconduct and does not promptly take remedial action when the employer learns of the conduct and/or the targeted employee complains. Elements of a hostile work environment can include sexually charged language, graffiti, photographs or images, websites, sexual banter or jokes, leering, unwanted touching, provocative gestures, offensive emails and graphic images posted in the workplace. If you have been subjected to a persistent atmosphere of unwelcome sexual conduct in your workplace, you may have a legal claim for compensation for a hostile work environment.

Law firm litigates all types of hostile work environment claims

The kind of sexual harassment that creates a hostile work environment can be committed by a man or a woman, and the victim can be a male or a female. Additionally, sexual harassment can occur between people of the same sex. We will analyze your situation to see if the following legal elements exist in support of a claim:

• Offensive speech or conduct — Though hostile work environment claims are usually associated with sexual harassment, other types of workplace discrimination can give rise to a legal action. For example, if you are being subjected to abuse because of your race, disability, age, sexual orientation, or because you are pregnant, you can make a claim if the elements are met.
• Severe or pervasive mistreatment — The misconduct in question must be severe or pervasiveor a combination of both. Hostile work environment harassment typically differs from quid pro quo sexual harassment actions, which can be based on just one encounter.
• Reasonable person standard — The fact that a worker is offended is not necessarily enough to support a hostile work environment suit. Whether specific behavior amounts to a hostile work environment depends upon whether a reasonable person (in the employee’s category) would react under the same circumstances (e.g., would a reasonable woman find the conduct to be sexually offensive).

Our founding partners have more than 50 years of combined legal experience representing the victims of employment discrimination and harassment. Working with our associates, we have obtained millions of dollars for thousands of employees whose rights were violated.

Skilled employment advocates guide you through each step of your case

If your workplace has become intolerable and you don’t know where to turn, our accomplished sexual harassment lawyers can explain your options and take action by:

• Complaining to your employer — Communicating forcefully and effectively, we put your employer on notice of the severe problem.
• Requesting administrative action — Our firm may file claims with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission on behalf of clients when the harassment will not end.
• Filing a lawsuit — When appropriate, we may represent you in a lawsuit seeking compensatory and punitive damage.

Employees should be able to work without fear of unlawful harassment due to gender, age, race, national origin, disability or sex. If your work environment has become untenable for any of these reasons, we will work tirelessly to protect your rights.

Contact a skillful New Jersey hostile work environment attorney

Deutsch Atkins & Kleinfeldt, P.C. represents New Jersey plaintiffs in hostile work environment matters and other types of sexual harassment cases. Please call 551-245-8894 or contact us online to schedule a meeting at our Hackensack office, located across the street from the Bergen County Courthouse.