Workplace Harassment Lawyer in Irvine

If you experienced workplace harassment at an Irvine workplace, you have strong protections under California law. We represent employees only, never employers, and offer a free, confidential consultation. 1-800-371-3088.

What Is Workplace Harassment in Irvine

FEHA prohibits harassment in any Irvine workplace based on any protected category - race, religion, disability, age (40+), national origin, ancestry, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, military or veteran status, reproductive-health decision-making, and more (Cal. Government Code section 12940(j)). Under Cal. Government Code section 12940(j)(4), the harassment provisions apply to employers with one or more employees, much broader than the 5-employee threshold for discrimination claims. To prove a hostile-work-environment claim under Jones v. The Lodge at Torrey Pines Partnership (2008) 42 Cal.4th 1158, you must show conduct that was based on a protected category, unwelcome, and either severe or pervasive enough to alter your working conditions. A single severe incident can satisfy the standard.

Irvine Industries Where Harassment Claims Are Most Common

• UCI faculty, staff, and academic-healthcare workers - 14,000+ employees plus UCI Medical Center and UCI Health - Irvine.
• Life-sciences and medical-device workers - at Edwards Lifesciences and AbbVie / Allergan.
• Tech and gaming workers - at Blizzard Entertainment (CRD v. Activision Blizzard $54.875M settlement involved the Irvine HQ workforce).
• IT distribution workers - at Ingram Micro.
• Automotive and consumer-products workers - at Mazda North American Operations and Taco Bell.
• Public-sector workers - at the City of Irvine, Irvine Unified School District, and South Orange County Community College District.

Irvine City Protections

Irvine has no separate citywide harassment ordinance beyond California state law. Harassment in Irvine is governed by FEHA (Cal. Government Code section 12940(j)) for any employer with 1+ employees and by federal Title VII for employers with 15+ employees. California also requires harassment-prevention training for all employees of companies with 5+ workers (Cal. Government Code section 12950.1). UCI Medical Center and UCI Health - Irvine workers who report harassment tied to patient-safety concerns are protected by Health and Safety Code section 1278.5 ($25,000-per-violation civil penalty).

California Law

Individual supervisors can be personally liable for FEHA harassment under Reno v. Baird (1998) 18 Cal.4th 640 (supervisors are not personally liable for discrimination, but they are for harassment). For the full California harassment framework, see our California employment law page.

What Compensation Can You Recover

California does not cap FEHA harassment damages. You may recover back pay, front pay, emotional-distress damages, punitive damages, and attorneys' fees and costs (Cal. Government Code section 12965(c)). SB 331 (Silenced No More Act) means severance agreements cannot bar you from discussing the harassment publicly. For details, see our California employment law page.

How to File a Workplace Harassment Claim in Irvine

State FEHA charges go to the CRD, 320 W. 4th Street, Suite 1000, 10th Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90013. Federal Title VII charges go to the EEOC, 255 East Temple Street, 4th Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90012. Civil suits are heard at the Orange County Superior Court, Central Justice Center, 700 Civic Center Drive West, Santa Ana, CA 92701 (complex civil matters at the Civil Complex Center, 751 West Santa Ana Boulevard, Santa Ana, CA 92701). Call us at 1-800-371-3088 before any deadline.