Fort Lauderdale Hostile Work Environment Lawyer

Top-Rated Fort Lauderdale Hostile Work Environment Attorney

If your employer is making it difficult to do your job, stay emotionally healthy, or feel safe at work, you may be working in a hostile environment. If you’ve been harassed or discriminated against at work in Broward County, you might have questions about your rights. A Fort Lauderdale hostile work environment lawyer can help you understand the law and assess whether you may have a claim.

Employment laws in Fort Lauderdale apply to everyone working near Las Olas Boulevard, Downtown Ft. Lauderdale, Port Everglades, or along I-95.

About The Law Office of Michelle Cohen Levy, P.A.

Workplace conflicts can affect both your job and your life outside of work. Attorney Michelle Cohen Levy has helped Broward County residents and businesses with their legal issues for many years. Our law office in Fort Lauderdale focuses on providing clients with individualized attention and realistic legal advice. We also take the time to explain the law as it relates to our clients’ rights and responsibilities.

Understanding Hostile Work Environments

Employees sometimes think that a hostile work environment exists whenever their workplace is unpleasant. However, to be considered illegal harassment or discrimination, the behavior needs to meet specific legal criteria. A hostile work environment exists when someone’s behavior creates an intimidating, offensive, or abusive work setting. To be illegal, the conduct must be based on a protected characteristic and be severe or ongoing. Protected characteristics include:

• Race
• Religion
• Sexual orientation
• Gender
• Age
• Marital status
• Political affiliation
• Pregnancy
• Disability

Courts look at the entire circumstances of the harassing behavior, including how long it lasted. Not everything an employee may find annoying or offensive is unlawful. Whether conduct is severe or pervasive enough to be illegal depends on the facts of each hostile work environment case.

Hostile Work Environment Laws

Federal and Florida law prohibit harassment and discrimination in the workplace. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits harassment based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. An employer may be liable when someone’s behavior creates a hostile work environment and the employer fails to take corrective action.

The Florida Civil Rights Act of 1992 also provides protections for Florida employees. This law prohibits discrimination and harassment against workers in protected classes. If you’ve been subjected to unlawful harassment or discrimination in Fort Lauderdale, you may be protected by these hostile work environment laws.

These laws can be complex, and it isn’t always easy to know whether they apply to your circumstances. An isolated event, which might not seem significant on its own, can become unlawful when viewed as part of a larger pattern. Even something that starts as joking around at work can cross the line into harassment when it keeps happening and targets a protected characteristic.

In fiscal year 2024, the EEOC collected 88,531 new accusations of discrimination, which is over 9% more than in fiscal year 2023. Discrimination is often a significant factor that leads to a hostile work environment for employees.

Common Examples of Workplace Harassment

There are many different types of behavior that can contribute to unlawful harassment. Workplace harassment may include verbal, physical, or visual conduct. Some examples of behavior that could create a hostile work environment include:

• Offensive jokes or slurs
• Comments about someone’s race, religion, or sex
• Sexual remarks or advances
• Offensive pictures or cartoons
• Targeted bullying because of someone’s protected status
• Retaliation for complaining about harassment or discrimination
• Threatening someone due to a protected class

Workers throughout Fort Lauderdale have the right to workplaces free from harassment and discrimination.

When to Hire a Hostile Work Environment Lawyer

Harassment in the workplace can sometimes lead to complex employment disputes. If your employer is ignoring your concerns or denying that harassment took place, you may want to hire a hostile work environment lawyer. You should consider speaking with a Fort Lauderdale hostile work environment attorney if you are being harassed at work or face retaliation for complaining about harassment. Because Florida has strict rules about recording conversations at work, it helps to know what kinds of proof you can legally gather before a dispute goes that far.

Employment law cases may be heard in different courts or government agencies. In Fort Lauderdale, one courthouse where employment cases may be heard is the Broward County Central Courthouse located at 201 SE 6th Street, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301.

FAQs

Can I File a Claim for a Hostile Work Environment in Florida?

In some cases, yes, you can file a claim for a hostile work environment in Florida. You may have grounds to file a claim if you have suffered ongoing harassment due to being a part of a protected class, such as your race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, or national origin.

Before filing a legal claim, employees often need to go through an administrative process, typically by filing a complaint with agencies like the EEOC.

What Type of Lawyer Is Needed for a Hostile Work Environment?

You should hire an employment lawyer if you believe your employer has created a hostile work environment. Employment lawyers handle cases related to the workplace, including harassment, discrimination, retaliation, wrongful termination, and other employment claims. An employment lawyer can advise you about whether certain conduct violates federal or Florida law and what legal options you may have based on the facts of your case.

What Evidence Is Needed to Prove a Hostile Work Environment?

Documentation that can help prove your claim includes emails, texts, written complaints you’ve made, witness contact information, photos, personnel files, performance reviews, or any other information related to specific incidents of harassment. It can also be useful to keep a record of dates, locations, and who was present for incidents that contribute to a hostile work environment.

Is It Worth Filing a Claim Against Your Employer for Retaliation?

Determining whether it is worth it to file a claim against your employer for retaliation depends on many factors, including the facts of your case, your evidence, and the potential damages you’ve incurred. However, employees are protected from retaliation if they complain about discrimination, harassment, or other kinds of unlawful conduct in the workplace. An attorney can help you understand the strengths and weaknesses of your potential claim.

Learn More About Workplace Rights

Sexual harassment at work can cause problems for both employees and employers. Learning about hostile environment laws, illegal behaviors, and how the law applies to you can enable you to make knowledgeable decisions if confronted with a workplace problem. The Law Office of Michelle Cohen Levy, P.A. can help you. Contact us today for a consultation.