The Law Offices of Eric A. Boyajian, stands up for California employees who suffered sexual harassment, racial harassment, disability mockery, LGBTQ+ bullying, religious discrimination, pregnancy-related harassment, and every other form of illegal workplace harassment.
California recognizes many more protected categories than federal law, so harassment can be based on almost any personal characteristic. All of these are illegal and create liability for the employer if not stopped immediately:
Type of Harassment | Protected Characteristic | Common Examples |
Sexual Harassment | Sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression | Unwanted sexual advances, lewd comments, sexting, porn in the workplace, “quid pro quo” (favors for jobs/benefits) |
Racial / Ethnic Harassment | Race, color, national origin, ancestry | Racial slurs, jokes about accents, mocking cultural dress or food, “where are you really from?” comments |
Disability Harassment | Physical or mental disability, medical condition | Mocking someone’s limp, wheelchair, cancer, depression, calling someone “crazy” or “retarded” |
Age Harassment | Age 40 and older | Calling older workers “grandma/grandpa,” “over the hill,” excluding them from training, dinosaur jokes |
Religious Harassment | Religion, religious dress/grooming practices | Mocking hijab, yarmulke, ashes on forehead, pressuring to join/avoid prayers, “war on Christmas” rants |
Sexual Orientation & Gender Identity | LGBTQ+ status, transgender/non-binary | Dead-naming, misgendering, gay slurs, bathroom policing, “lifestyle” comments |
Pregnancy / Family Responsibility | Pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, caregiver status | Forced to use vacation or sick time instead of protected CFRA baby-bonding leave |
Military / Veteran Status | Current or past military service | Mocking service, PTSD jokes, refusing military leave accommodations |
Genetic Information | Genetic test results or family medical history | Comments after 23andMe results, joking about “bad genes” |
Marital Status | Single, married, divorced, widowed | “Why aren’t you married yet?”, favoring married employees with children |
Political Activities / Beliefs | Political affiliation or activities (California-only) | Mocking voting choice, political affiliation or organization gear comments |
Two Legal Categories That Matter Most
Quid Pro Quo – “Sleep with me or you’re fired” (only needs one incident)
Hostile Work Environment – Severe or pervasive conduct that makes work intimidating or offensive (most common type)
Key California Twists That Surprise Most Employers
A single “extremely severe” incident can be enough (e.g., physical assault or hard racial slur)
Harassment by non-employees (customers, vendors, delivery drivers) is still the employer’s responsibility
Harassment by text messages or social media outside work hours still count
Even “equal-opportunity harassers” (who insult everyone) can create liability if tied to a protected category.
Frequently Asked Questions
Your Rights, Our Fights.
