New Jersey Hostile Work Environment Lawyer

Most of us have dealt with a bad boss or co-worker at some point in our lives. But when you are singled out for abusive conduct based on your sex, gender, race, or similar characteristic, that may constitute a form of illegal employment discrimination. Specifically, you may be able to prove that you are the victim of a hostile work environment.

If your internal complaints to management have failed to put an end to such conduct, it is imperative that you take action and stand up for your rights under the law. A qualified New Jersey hostile work environment lawyer can advise and represent you in such actions. At Poulos LoPiccolo PC, we have helped many clients in identifying and putting a stop to illegal workplace conduct that negatively affects you and your co-workers.

How New Jersey Law Protects You Against Workplace Harassment

Federal and state laws prohibit a broad range of workplace discrimination. For example, an employer cannot fire or demote you based on your sex or race. But not all work-related discrimination is so direct or obvious. In many cases, the discriminatory conduct takes the form of workplace harassment. More precisely, if your employer initiates or allows a course of conduct that is offensive, unwelcome, and so outrageous and pervasive as it relates to a protected civil right, this can demonstrate there is a hostile work environment.

Identifying hostile work environment harassment is often tricky. You cannot prevail on such a claim just because your boss is a jerk. You need to show that their behavior is motivated by a discriminatory motive. For instance, if your supervisor–or even a co-worker–constantly degrades and demeans you for being a woman or a Hispanic person, that is hostile work environment harassment. But if your boss simply yells and curses at everyone regardless of who they are, while that may be unpleasant it is not in and of itself illegal. A hostile work environment can also take the form of unwanted sexual advances, such as a manager repeatedly asking you out on a date even after you have said no.

It is important to understand there is no one-size-fits-all approach to defining hostile work environment harassment. While some situations may involve a course of conduct that spans several months or years, it is also possible to prove illegal harassment based on a single incident. For instance, a supervisor who refers to an employee using a racial slur even once can be sufficient to create a hostile work environment.