Top-Rated Los Angeles Sexual Harassment Attorneys

If you’re experiencing sexual harassment at work, you don’t have to face it alone. You have legal rights. Ottinger Employment Lawyers supports employees in Los Angeles to stand up to harassment and hold employers accountable. Contact us online or call 213-204-8002 to speak with an experienced attorney confidentially today.

What is Sexual Harassment?

Sexual harassment is unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that creates a hostile, intimidating, or offensive work environment.

Los Angeles employees are protected under both California and federal law from any behavior—verbal, non-verbal, or physical—that is sexual in nature and either severe or pervasive enough to interfere with their ability to work. Because California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) applies regardless of workforce size, even small local businesses must understand and comply with these protections. Meanwhile, employers with five or more employees must also provide state-mandated sexual-harassment-prevention training every two years.

Key aspects of Sexual Harassment include:

Unwelcome conduct – The touchstone is whether the recipient views the conduct as unwanted; “harmless teasing” in one context can be unlawful in another.

Of a sexual nature – This includes lewd jokes, targeted comments about someone’s body, unwanted flirting, or displaying suggestive images. 

Creates a hostile environment – The behavior must make a reasonable person feel intimidated, offended, or unsafe. Courts look at frequency, severity, and the power dynamics involved.

Can be a single incident – A single assault, groping, or explicit quid-pro-quo demand (“Sleep with me or lose your job”) is sufficient to violate the law. 

Verbal

• Repeated sexual propositions or “jokes”
• Graphic remarks about someone’s appearance
• Threats to reduce hours or pay unless the employee “goes on a date”

Non-verbal

• Staring or leering at body parts
• Circulating suggestive GIFs/memes on Slack
• Posting pin-up images in common areas

Physical

• Unwanted hugging, shoulder rubs, or kissing
• Trapping someone in a hallway or doorway
• Any form of sexual assault

Legal protections and employer responsibilities in Los Angeles

FEHA is the primary state statute and covers all workers—employees, independent contractors, interns, and volunteers. Employers must:

1. Maintain a written anti-harassment policy that is easy to understand, distributed in all languages spoken by at least 10 percent of the workforce, and posted conspicuously.
2. Provide training:
   • Supervisors – at least two hours every two years
   • All other employees – at least one hour every two years
   • New hires/promotions – within six months of assuming the role
   • Training must be interactive and include bystander-intervention techniques. 
3. Offer clear reporting avenues (multiple points of contact, anonymity options, no-retaliation language).
4. Investigate promptly and thoroughly, issuing written findings and remedial steps. 

Failure to meet any of these obligations can expose a company to liability under FEHA, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, and—where relevant—Los Angeles Municipal Code provisions on discrimination.

Laws that protect you—and how they’ve changed

California keeps expanding the safety net for California Employees:

AB 9, the “Stop Harassment and Reporting Extension Act,” tripled the time employees have to file an administrative charge with the Civil Rights Department—from one year to three years.

SB 331, the “Silenced No More Act,” bars settlement or severance agreements from gagging employees who want to talk about workplace harassment or discrimination.

SB 428 (effective Jan 1 2025) lets employers seek temporary restraining orders not only for violence but for harassment that causes substantial emotional distress, giving victims faster relief while an investigation proceeds.

Los Angeles overlays its own Civil & Human Rights Ordinance, allowing city investigators to levy fines even when the conduct falls short of a lawsuit

Get Help Today

If you are experiencing any of the behaviors described above—or if you are unsure whether what you’re facing qualifies as harassment—contact Ottinger Employment Lawyers today for a confidential case evaluation. Our Los Angeles team focuses exclusively on employee rights and can help you understand your legal options and next steps.

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