What is Workplace Harassment?

Harassment, is a form of unlawful discrimination or retaliation.  In the employment law context, harassment is when someone discriminates against you by bothering or annoying you for an illegal reason.  Workplace harassment, often called a “hostile work environment,” is only illegal if it is “severe” or “pervasive”.  So, for example, one extremely bad act of harassment can be illegal.  But more commonly it is a number of relatively minor actions over a period of weeks, months, or even years that creates a hostile work environment.

We understand that workplace harassment can be extremely disruptive to your job and your life, and often causes severe emotional distress and sometimes can even cause you to lose your job.  If you have been the victim of harassment at your job in New Jersey or New York, we can help.  Contact us today.

What Forms of Harassment Are Legally Actionable?

Not all harassment is illegal.  Rather, the harassment has to be caused by an illegal reason.  For example, in New York and New Jersey workplace harassment is illegal if it is based on your age, color, gender, mental or physical disability, national origin, pregnancy, race, religion, sexual orientation, or veteran or military status.  Harassment is unlawful if it is a form of unlawful retaliation, or violates another employment law like a state or federal wage and hour law, or the Family & Medical Leave Act (FMLA).

What is Sexual Harassment?

Sexual harassment is harassment because of the fact that you are a woman or a man.  It is often sexual in nature, but it is illegal to harass someone because of his or her gender even if it is not sexual all.  More information is available on our sexual harassment page.