Archives for February 2021

Is Sexual Harassment Happening At Your Workplace?

Passed in 2019, SB 778 extended the deadline for new sexual harassment prevention training requirements in California to Jan. 1, 2021. As we are now in the new year, the deadline for compliance has lapsed – this means you, your coworkers, and supervisors should have all received sexual harassment prevention training by now.

Under SB 778, all California employers with five or more employees must provide at least two hours of sexual harassment training to all supervisory employees and at least one hour of training to all other employees.Ā These trainings must recur every two years, and employers have within six months after hiring or promotion to train new employees or supervisors.

Is Your Employer Taking Sexual Harassment Seriously?

If sexual harassment has been an ongoing problem at work and your employer isn’t taking it seriously, you can hold them liable by filing a lawsuit. Your employer should have intervened with meaningful action after you reported what happened and who was involved – especially if they were supervisors.

Under California’s new sexual harassment training law, all employees and supervisors were required to have received prevention training by Jan. 1, 2021 – your employer could be liable if it failed to provide training to those who engaged in sexually harassing behavior.

At Haeggquist & Eck, LLP, our employment law attorneys are ready to hear about your situation at work. We fight for employees like you who need to hold their employers accountable when they break the law. If you are experiencing sexual harassment at work, reach out to us today for help.

Schedule a free initial consultation with Haeggquist & Eck, LLP when you callĀ (619) 342-8000Ā orĀ contact us online.

Biden Administration Affirms Stance Against Gender Identity & Sexual Orientation Discrimination

In an executive order issued on his first day in office, U.S. President Joe Biden affirmed his administration’s stance against sexual orientation and gender identity discrimination.

The order promises to enforce protections so that people can access employment opportunities, schooling, housing, and healthcare without facing discrimination based on their gender identity or sexual orientation.

In his order, Biden cited equal protection of the law as provided in the Constitution, as well as Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The latter statute was the backbone ofĀ a landmark rulingĀ at the U.S. Supreme Court in 2020, which interpreted Title VII’s prohibition of sex discrimination to include sexual orientation and gender identity discrimination.

To enforce the prohibition of such discrimination, the Biden Administration is taking the following actions:

  • Requiring each federal agency to review all existing orders, regulations, policies, and programs that were endorsed by the agency under any law that prohibits sex discrimination, including Title VII
  • Requiring each federal agency to consider revising, suspending, or rescinding any action – or taking new action – that fully implement laws that prohibit sexual orientation and gender identity discrimination
  • Requiring each federal agency to consider ways to combat overlapping forms of discrimination, such as that on the basis of race or disability
  • Within 100 days of the order, each federal agency will develop and implement a plan that addresses these mandates

Do You Need Legal Assistance?

At Haeggquist & Eck, LLP, we’re here to represent employees who have experienced unlawful discrimination at work. California has protected LGBTQ workers against discrimination for years, but the Biden Administration’s efforts to enforce Title VII as it was interpreted by SCOTUS last summer can mean a broader level of protection.

If you believe you have experienced discrimination because of your gender identity or sexual orientation, reach out to our legal team for a free initial consultation. During this meeting, you can meet with a Haeggquist & Eck, LLP attorney, who will listen to your story. If we think we can help you with your situation, we will offer options for how you can take the next step.

To schedule your free case evaluation, contact us onlineĀ or callĀ (619) 342-8000Ā today!

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