Workplace Sexual Harassment
Under the Washington Law Against Discrimination (WLAD), it is an unfair practice, with very few exceptions, for an employer to refuse to hire any person, to discharge or bar any person from employment, or to discriminate against any person in compensation or in other terms and conditions of employment because of age (40+); sex (including pregnancy); marital status; sexual orientation (including gender identity); race; color; creed; national origin; citizenship or immigration status; honorably discharged veteran or military status; HIV/AIDS and hepatitis C status; the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability; the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability; and state employee or health care whistleblower status.
"In the employment context, a plaintiff alleging workplace sexual harassment must show[:]
(1) the conduct was unwelcome,
(2) the conduct was because of sex,
(3) the conduct affected the terms or conditions of employment, and
(4) the harassment can be imputed to the employer because the employer
(i) authorized, knew of, or should have known of the harassment and
(ii) failed to take reasonably prompt and corrective action.
To learn about proving employment discrimination using circumstantial evidence, read our article: The McDonnell Douglas Burden Shifting Framework.
If you would like to learn more, then consider contacting an experienced Washington State Employment Discrimination Attorney as soon as possible to discuss your case. Please note: the information contained in this article is not offered as legal advice and will not form an attorney-client relationship with either this author or Williams Law Group, PS; please see our DISCLAIMER.
–gw
