Sexual Harassment Lawyers
Sexual Harassment Claims and Workplace Liability
Sexual harassment claims present a unique combination of legal exposure, reputational risk, and operational disruption for businesses. Allegations may arise from conduct between co-workers, supervisors, or third parties and often involve disputed facts, credibility determinations, and emotionally charged narratives. Even a single complaint can trigger investigations, litigation, and long-term consequences for a business. Akopyan Law Firm, A.P.C. stands ready to represent businesses addressing sexual harassment claims under California and federal law. Each attorney at Akopyan Law Firm, A.P.C. has more than 20 years of employment law experience handling high-stakes harassment disputes in administrative proceedings and court.
The Legal Standards Governing Sexual Harassment
Sexual harassment claims in California are primarily governed by the Fair Employment and Housing Act, while federal claims arise under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Both laws prohibit harassment based on sex and impose obligations on employers to prevent and address unlawful conduct in the workplace. The law recognizes two primary forms of sexual harassment. Quid pro quo harassment involves alleged conditioning of job benefits or employment decisions on submission to unwelcome conduct. Hostile work environment claims focus on whether conduct was sufficiently severe or pervasive to alter working conditions. These standards are fact-specific and frequently contested.
Why Sexual Harassment Claims Are Especially Disruptive
Sexual harassment cases often escalate quickly because they implicate workplace culture, management oversight, and internal controls. Claims may involve current employees, former employees, or third parties such as customers or vendors. Once asserted, allegations can prompt internal investigations, government inquiries, or parallel civil litigation. For businesses, the disruption is not limited to legal defense. Management time, employee morale, and public perception are often affected, particularly when allegations become public or involve senior personnel.
How Sexual Harassment Claims Commonly Develop
Many sexual harassment claims develop from informal complaints or interpersonal conflicts that later become formal allegations. Disputes may involve alleged comments, messages, physical conduct, or patterns of behavior that were not previously documented. In some cases, claims are raised only after an adverse employment action, adding additional layers of dispute. Because these cases often turn on competing accounts of events, documentation, witness testimony, and consistency of responses become critical once litigation begins.
Employer Responsibility and Vicarious Liability
Under California law, employers may be held strictly liable for harassment committed by supervisors, regardless of whether the employer knew of the conduct. Harassment by co-workers or third parties may also result in liability if the employer knew or should have known of the conduct and failed to take appropriate corrective action. This framework places significant emphasis on how businesses respond once an issue is raised. The adequacy, timing, and outcome of investigations are frequently scrutinized in litigation.
The Role of Investigations in Sexual Harassment Disputes
Workplace investigations often play a central role in sexual harassment cases. Plaintiffs and defense counsel alike examine whether complaints were taken seriously, whether investigations were impartial, and whether conclusions were supported by evidence. Disputes frequently arise over the scope of investigations, witness selection, credibility assessments, and remedial action. Even where harassment is not substantiated, employers may still face challenges if the process is portrayed as flawed or predetermined.
Litigation Risks and Defense Considerations
Sexual harassment litigation often involves extensive discovery, including personnel records, internal communications, and testimony from multiple witnesses. Claims may be paired with allegations of retaliation, wrongful termination, or failure to prevent harassment, increasing both complexity and exposure. Because these cases frequently involve subjective perceptions and credibility disputes, experienced employment counsel plays a critical role in framing the narrative, evaluating evidence, and managing risk.
Experience Matters in Sexual Harassment Cases
With decades of employment law experience per attorney, Akopyan Law Firm, A.P.C. understands how sexual harassment claims are asserted, investigated, and litigated. That experience allows the firm to assess exposure realistically, challenge unsupported allegations, and develop strategies that align with both legal requirements and business realities.
Employment Law Representation for Businesses
Akopyan Law Firm, A.P.C. stands ready to represent businesses dealing with sexual harassment claims and related employment disputes under California and federal law. The firm provides experienced representation focused on managing serious legal exposure while remaining attentive to the operational and reputational concerns these cases often present. To discuss a sexual harassment issue affecting your organization, contact Akopyan Law Firm, A.P.C. for a confidential consultation.
Areas Served:
The litigation and trial attorneys of the Akopyan Law Firm, A.P.C. provide services throughout Southern California including but not limited to Adelanto, Agoura Hills, Alhambra, Aliso Viejo, Altadena, Anaheim, Apple Valley, Arcadia, Arleta, Atwater Village, Azuza, Bakersfield, Baldwin Park, Banning, Beaumont, Bell, Bell Gardens, Bellflower, Beverly Hills, Blythe, Boyle Heights, Brea, Brentwood, Buena Park, Burbank, Calabasas, Calimesa, Camarillo, Canoga Park, Canyon Lake, Carson, Carlsbad, Cathedral City, Cerritos, Chatsworth, Chino Hills, Chino, Chula Vista, Claremont, Coachella, Colton, Compton, Costa Mesa, Corona, Coronado, Covina, Culver City, Cypress, Dana Point, Del Mar, Desert Hot Springs, Diamond Bar, Downey, Duarte, Eagle Rock, East Hollywood, East Los Angeles, Eastvale, Echo Park, El Cajon, El Monte, El Segundo, El Sereno, Encinitas, Encino, Escondido, Fontana, Fountain Valley, Fullerton, Gardena, Garden Grove, Glassell Park, Glendale, Glendora, Granada Hills, Hacienda Heights, Hawthorne, Hemet, Hesperia, Highland Park, Highland, Hollywood, Hollywood Hills, Huntington Beach, Huntington Park, Imperial Beach, Indian Wells, Indio, Inglewood, Irvine, Jurupa Valley, La Canada Flintridge, La-Crescenta Montrose, La Habra, La Mesa, La Mirada, La Palma, La Puente, La Quinta, La Verne, Laguna Beach, Laguna Hills, Laguna Niguel, Laguna Woods, Lakewood, Lake Balboa, Lake Elsinore, Lake Forest, Lancaster, Lawndale, Lemon Grove, Lincoln Heights, Loma Linda, Long Beach, Los Alamitos, Los Angeles, Los Feliz, Lynwood, Manhattan Beach, Mar Vista, Maywood, Menifee, Mission Hills, Mission Viejo, Monrovia, Montclair, Montebello, Monterey Park, Moorpark, Moreno Valley, Murrieta, National City, Newbury Park, Newhall, Newport Beach, Norco, North Hills, North Hollywood, Northridge, Norwalk, Oceanside, Ontario, Orange, Oxnard, Pacific Palisades, Pacoima, Palos Verdes, Palmdale, Palm Desert, Palm Springs, Panorama City, Paramount, Pasadena, Perris, Pico Rivera, Placentia, Pomona, Porter Ranch, Rancho Cucamonga, Rancho Mirage, Rancho Santa Margarita, Redondo Beach, Reseda, Rialto, Riverside, Rosemead, Rowland Heights, San Bernardino, San Clemente, San Diego, San Dimas, San Gabriel, San Fernando, San Jacinto, San Juan Capistrano, San Pedro, Santa Ana, Santa Clarita, San Marcos, Santa Monica, Santee, Sawtelle, Seal Beach, Shadow Hills, Sherman Oaks, Silver Lake, Simi Valley, South El Monte, South Gate, South Pasadena, South Whittier, Stanton, Studio City, Sun Valley, Sunland, Sylmar, Tarzana, Temecula, Temple City, Thousand Oaks, Toluca Lake, Torrance, Tujunga, Tustin, Twentynine Palms, Upland, Valencia, Valley Glen, Valley Village, Van Nuys, Ventura, Victorville, Vista, Walnut, West Covina, West Hills, West Hollywood, West Puente Valley, Westchester, Westminster, Westwood, Whittier, Wildomar, Winnetka, Woodland Hills, Yorba Linda