Sexual harassment is any form of unwanted or uninvited sexual behavior that is humiliating, intimidating, or offensive. If you are currently experiencing sexual harassment in your workplace, you have a variety of options available. Sexual harassment can take many different forms, including:
- sexually offensive comments or facial expressions
- lewd jokes or sharing stories about sexual experiences
- sharing sexual material in the workplace, including text messages, WhatsApp messages, or emails
- repeatedly asking for dates despite being rejected
- asking for sexual favors
- sexually offensive comments, gestures, or facial expressions, including looking up and down a person’s body
- inappropriately and suggestively touching or kissing a person’s clothing and/or body
- intrusive questions about sexual activity.
Sexual harassment also includes certain behaviors that may be a crime, such as sexual assault and harassment. But this type of harassment is already a criminal offense. If you have suffered or are suffering sexual harassment at work, call the best Hispanic lawyers in San Francisco for cases of sexual harassment at work. Our Employment Lawyers in San Francisco speak Spanish and we answer your call 24/7.
Our recommendation is that you call a lawyer as soon as possible and explain how the workplace harassment is happening. But we also want you to understand your options. Below we mention some of the options you can consider:
Consult your workplace policy
Your workplace may have a policy that sets out the steps you can take, for example, a Sexual Harassment Policy, an Equal Employment Opportunity Policy, or a Complaints and Grievances Policy. You may have received a copy of these policies when you were hired, or you may be able to access them on your company’s website or they may be available through human resources.
If not, or in addition, you may want to consider taking one of the following steps. Speak with a lawyer specializing in this type of sexual harassment case at work. In many cases, depending on the nature of the sexual harassment, you could try telling the person who is harassing you how you feel and that their conduct is unwanted or makes you feel uncomfortable, and ask them to stop. In any case, call a lawyer. There have been cases where people have been fired for alleging sexual harassment. If you hire an employment lawyer, you will be protecting your job and your accusation will be taken more seriously.
Sometimes talking to the person who is harassing you can cause the behavior to end because sometimes people lack awareness about their actions until they are told something. In any case, that is not an acceptable excuse for any type of sexual harassment at work.
Seek legal assistance
If you do not feel comfortable speaking directly with the person or people involved, or if that method has not worked, you might consider speaking with a human resources officer or manager in your workplace. Obviously, if this method does not work, call a lawyer specializing in protecting workers with this type of problem for a free consultation so that the lawyer can evaluate your case.
Our consultations are free and 100% confidential. Don’t worry about your privacy or fear that your work will find out that you are talking to a lawyer. Our job is to help you, not cause you more problems. Also, don’t be afraid to talk to us if you don’t have papers. Regardless of whether your situation is legal in this country, if you are working, in the state of California you have rights and the right to be represented by a lawyer.
What will the employment lawyer ask me to prove sexual harassment at work?
It would greatly help your lawyer if you can provide as many details as possible about the behavior, including who was involved, when it occurred, and who else may have seen or heard it. If you have documents, text messages, or copies of documents that contain sexual harassment material, such as emails, images, or screenshots, this would be of great help in demonstrating that there is a problem.
Once one of our lawyers opens a claim, your workplace must allow for an investigation into the matter. This would involve someone talking to the person who has sexually harassed you to tell their side of the events. They may also need to ask you more questions and gather more information from any witnesses. Once an investigation is completed, your employer has to decide what to do and this could include ending the involvement of the person who sexually harassed you, moving them to another location, or firing them.
In many cases your attorney can seek compensation for damages due to the harassment you have been suffering. If you or someone in your family is going through a similar situation or is being sexually harassed at work in San Francisco, California, call (888)442-2642 for a free consultation with an attorney.
Where We Serve
San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose, Sonoma County, Marin County, Napa County, and the entire Northern California region
Do you need an employment lawyer today?
Attorney Arlo Uriarte can evaluate your case — free, in Spanish, 24/7. 1-888-442-2642 — free consultation here.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I report the sexual harassment to my employer before consulting with an attorney?
Not necessarily — and in many cases it’s better to speak with an attorney before making any internal report. If you report to HR without preparation, the employer can use that conversation to build their defense. However, in cases of harassment by coworkers (not supervisors), the report may be important to establish that the employer knew about the harassment. The right strategy depends on your specific situation. Call 1-888-442-2642 before taking any formal action.
What evidence should I save if I’m a victim of sexual harassment in SF?
Save absolutely everything: text messages, WhatsApp, emails, voice notes from the harasser. Write down each incident with date, time, location, exact words, and witnesses present. Save any communication with HR about the harassment. If the harassment has affected your health, seek medical or psychological care — those records are evidence of damages. Don’t delete anything — not even messages that seem innocent, because the complete pattern may be relevant. Call 1-888-442-2642.
What happens if the harasser is very powerful in the company or is the owner?
That makes the situation more serious — not less actionable. When the harasser is the owner or leader of the organization, the company and the harasser are the same entity, which simplifies some aspects of the lawsuit. A harasser with power is also more likely to have committed the same behavior with other victims — which can significantly strengthen the case. Additionally, the fact that the harasser uses their position of power aggravates the damages and can justify higher punitive damages. Call 1-888-442-2642 — we handle these cases with complete confidentiality.
How much time do I have to act if I’m a victim of sexual harassment at work in SF?
Under California FEHA: 3 years from the most recent act of harassment. For civil sexual assault: up to 10 years. But acting soon is always better — the evidence is fresher, witnesses remember better, and you have more options. Don’t wait for things to ‘get better on their own’ — harassers rarely change without legal consequences. Call 1-888-442-2642 today.
How much does it cost to hire Liberation Law Group?
Nothing upfront. We work on full contingency — the consultation is free and we only charge if we win. In successful cases the employer generally pays the worker’s attorney fees. No hidden costs. Call 1-888-442-2642.
Can my employer retaliate against me for filing a lawsuit?
No. Retaliation is illegal and adds significant compensation to the case. Read about workplace retaliation in California. Call 1-888-442-2642.
Do undocumented workers have rights?
Yes. Code § 7285 guarantees equal protections regardless of immigration status. Complete confidentiality. Call 1-888-442-2642.
Do you have to go to court to win an employment case?
Not necessarily. Most are resolved through negotiation in 6-18 months. But Liberation Law Group is prepared to litigate in Superior Court when necessary. Call 1-888-442-2642.
Call 1-888-442-2642 or complete our free form. Attorney Arlo Uriarte is ready — in English or Spanish, at no cost, 24/7.
Liberation Law Group — Attorneys for Workers 24/7
2760 Mission Street, 2nd Floor, San Francisco, CA 94110
1-888-442-2642
Free Consultation in English or Spanish — No Obligation — No Fee Until We Win
