Our Orange County Law Firm receives a number of calls involving illegal workplace harassment. In the state of California, it is unlawful to harass a person (an applicant or employee) because of that person's sex. Harassment can include sexual harassment or unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical harassment of a sexual nature.
Harassment does not have to be of a sexual nature, however, and can include offensive remarks about a person's sex. For example, it is illegal to harass a woman by making offensive comments about women in general.
Both the victim and the harasser can be either a woman or a man, and the victim and harasser can be the same sex. Unfortunately when it comes to sexual harassment women and minorities are unfortunately subjected to workplace harassment and discrimination far too often.
Recently, Hewlett-Packard's board forced its former CEO to resign amid allegations of sexual harassment and expense-account abuses. The case stems from allegations by an independent contractor that the CEO sexually harassed her and falsified expense reports to cover up a relationship, the Los Angeles Times reported.
In the wake of the company's handling of the sexual harassment complaint, four members of the Hewlett-Packard Company are going to step down. Among the incoming board members is Meg Whitman, the former CEO of Ebay and losing candidate in last fall's Californias governor's race.
The Times also reports that court documents filed by HP show the company is planning its own independent probe into Hurd's departure, stemming from a shareholder suit over Hurd's severance package. The ouster of the board members is largely the result of the perception of rash decision making -- The CEO was forced to resign despite HP's determination that he did not violate the company's sexual harassment policy.
If you need to speak to an attorney about an issue with discrimination, sexual harassment, unpaid wages contact our Orange County Law Firm for a confidential consultation to discuss your rights as an employee.
