âś… FEHA covers employers with 5+ employees (basically all retail locations)
âś… Protected characteristics: sex, race, national origin, religion, age, disability, sexual orientation, pregnancy, veteran status & more
âś… Harassment includes: verbal (slurs, offensive jokes), physical (unwanted touching), visual (inappropriate images), psychological (intimidation)
âś… Two types: quid pro quo (job benefits tied to accepting unwanted conduct) and hostile work environment (severe/pervasive abusive atmosphere)
âś… Employers MUST investigate complaints and take corrective action
âś… Retaliation is illegal - you can't be fired or punished for reporting
What to do if you experience harassment:
📝 Document every incident (dates, times, what happened, witnesses)
📝 Report through your employer's official channels
📝 Keep copies of all communications
📝 Seek legal help if your employer doesn't act or retaliates