Hostile Work Environment Law Firm in Baton Rouge, Louisiana 

Miller & Hilgendorf is a hostile work environment law firm in Baton Rouge, Louisiana that can help you seek damages and compensation if you had to quit working at a job or were fired due to a hostile work environment. What is a hostile work environment? In order for a workplace to legally be considered a hostile work environment, the work environment must be discriminatory toward certain employees. In order to pursue a lawsuit for a hostile work environment, you must be able to show that you were discriminated against because of your age, disability, genetic makeup, national origin, because you were pregnant, because of your race or color, because of your sex, or show that you suffered sexual harassment under the law. The Supreme Court also recently ruled that you cannot be discriminated against because of your sexual orientation or gender identity.

A hostile work environment is much more than an annoying situation at work or a boss or co-worker with whom you don’t get along. A hostile work environment involves discriminatory behavior that can interfere with your ability to do your job, or involves a situation where you were fired or had to leave a job due to discrimination. Have questions about your rights? Reach out to the hostile work environment lawyers at Miller & Hilgendorf in Baton Rouge, Louisiana today.

What is a Hostile Work Environment?

A hostile work environment is not just an environment where you don’t get along with your manager or co-workers. In order for a workplace to be considered hostile, discrimination must be taking place. What are some examples of a hostile work environment? Here are some situations that might constitute a hostile work environment:

• A co-worker or boss keeps making sexually explicit comments about your appearance or keeps asking you out on a date even though you have repeatedly told him or her you are not interested.
• A co-worker or boss who makes derogatory comments or who puts you down because of your gender, race, national origin, or disability could be contributing to a hostile work environment.
• A co-worker or boss makes jokes about your pregnancy, disability, or national origin, and doesn’t stop making these jokes even when you ask him or her to stop.
• You work as a waitress and a customer keeps sexually harassing you or asking you out on dates even though you’ve repeatedly told the customer you are not interested and don’t appreciate the comments. When you tell your boss about the behavior, the boss does nothing to stop the behavior (for example, by warning the customer that if the behavior continues, he or she will be asked to leave, or by asking the customer to leave).

When it comes to suing or taking action against a hostile work environment, it isn’t enough to experience an off-color remark once or twice. The situation must be pervasive, that is, ongoing. You may need to show instances where you explicitly asked for the behavior to stop or reported the behavior to human resources and saw no results. Employers have a responsibility to investigate reports of sexual harassment and discriminatory behavior. Finally, you may need to show that the hostile or discriminatory behavior is serious enough to interfere with your ability to do your job. If the discriminatory or hostile behavior has held back your career, or if you believe that discriminatory reasons were why you were passed up for a promotion, you may also have the right to sue for hostile work environment. Sometimes a hostile work environment can interfere with your career in subtle ways. For example, if you had to change teams because of sexual harassment, but another team would have led to better career advancement opportunities or if you had to take a demotion to avoid a situation where you suffered sexual harassment, this could constitute a case where you may be able to sue for hostile work environment.

If you believe you lost your job because of discrimination, had to leave your job due to discrimination, or are struggling because of a hostile work environment, you are not alone. Miller & Hilgendorf is a hostile work environment law firm in Baton Rouge, Louisiana that may be able to help you.

Steps to Take If You Are in a Hostile Work Environment in Baton Rouge, Louisiana 

If you are dealing with sexual harassment on the job, off-color comments, or discrimination, it is important that you take steps to address the issue. What can you do to address a hostile work environment? Here are a few things to consider:

• Tell the offending manager or co-worker to stop.
• Report the behavior to human resources.
• Document every instance of discrimination or offensive comments and report these instances to human resources.
• Ask your employer what is being done to manage the situation.

You have the right to report a hostile work environment without facing retaliation. If discrimination, sexual harassment, or hostility is not being addressed after you report the situation, you may have the right to pursue a lawsuit or take additional steps. Miller & Hilgendorf is a hostile work environment law firm in Baton Rouge, Louisiana that may be able to help you.

Seek Justice If You Suffered Because of a Hostile Work Environment

 A hostile work environment can have an immense toll on your daily life. If you are struggling at work because of discrimination, have questions about your rights if you believe you lost your job because of discrimination, or believe you were passed up for a promotion or a job opportunity due to discrimination, you may have the right to fight back. Miller & Hilgendorf is a hostile work environment law firm in Baton Rouge, Louisiana that may be able to help you seek damages and lost wages from your employer.