Hostile Work Environment
Key state and federal regulations—including Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964—provide employees with protection against workplace harassment. Under U.S. labor law, a hostile work environment is one in which the discriminatory conditions within a workplace make it difficult, uncomfortable, or even impossible for an employee to work in that environment. At Coffman Legal, our top-rated Columbus Ohio hostile work environment attorneys are strong and committed advocates for all workers in Ohio. If you believe you are working in a hostile work environment, you should contact our Columbus Ohio hostile work environment lawyers today to further discuss your employment. To set up a free, completely confidential review of your hostile work environment claim, please do not hesitate to contact our law office right away.
If you are considering pursuing a hostile work environment claim in Central Ohio, it is important to know what does and does not constitute a hostile work environment. To be clear, the presence of hostility alone is insufficient to support a hostile work environment claim, though it is a common misconception. In many cases, employees believe they have a claim for a hostile work environment if their boss is hostile, rude, or otherwise mean to them, but it is rarely the case on its own. The foundation of a hostile work environment claim must be based on a legally protected characteristic. Indeed, to bring a successful legal claim, hostility in the workplace must be based on one of the bases set forth below. Under the law, you may have a legal claim for a hostile work environment if you experience severe and/or pervasive harassment due to your:
Establishing poor treatment on the basis of a protected status is not automatically sufficient to prove that there was a hostile work environment. As the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) explains, minor slights, slight annoyances, and mild one-time incidents, although frustrating for employees to encounter, do not rise to the level of being unlawful. In order to prove a hostile work environment, a plaintiff must submit evidence demonstrating that they were subject to a workplace environment that would be considered “intimidating, hostile, or offensive” to an average person. Clearly, the law has left it as somewhat of a vague standard. In practice, state and federal courts require employees who are bringing a hostile work environment claim to prove that they were subject to hostility that was “severe” or “pervasive.” In some cases, one especially egregious incident may be enough to demonstrate a hostile work environment. In other circumstances, a pattern of repeated minor transgressions may demonstrate a hostile work environment. Ultimately, all hostile work environment claims must be assessed on an individual, case-by-case basis.
You deserve to work in an environment that is free from any type of discrimination, hostility, or harassment. If you have been subject to a hostile work environment, Columbus Ohio hostile work environment attorneys are available to help. We are experienced advocates for workers in communities throughout Ohio. Our hostile work environment lawyers will conduct a free, comprehensive review of your hostile work environment case, explain your legal rights to you, and help you take appropriate action to end the harassment and receive full and fair financial compensation.
At Coffman Legal, our employment attorneys have extensive experience handling the full range of hostile work environment claims. If you believe that you are working in a hostile work environment, we are here to help. Contact us today for a free consultation with our Columbus Ohio hostile work environment attorneys. We can guide you through the steps necessary to protect yourself and pursue a hostile work environment claim.