Nurses and other healthcare workers often face long hours, high stress, and intense workloads, but they should never have to deal with harassment.
Workers are protected from such conduct by several laws. If you are facing harassment at work, a workplace harassment attorney from Erkel Law, P.C. can answer your questions regarding nurse & healthcare worker harassment claims in Sacramento.
Healthcare settings create unique challenges as staff interact with patients, families, supervisors, and coworkers. Under the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), harassment is unlawful when it is based on a protected characteristic such as race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age (40 or older), disability, national origin, or pregnancy.
Harassment can include a variety of conduct:
The harassment that a healthcare professional in Sacramento experiences creates a hostile work environment if it is serious enough, and it may justify a claim. A lawyer can evaluate the details and explain if the behavior meets the legal definition of harassment under FEHA.
Good records make a harassment claim for medical staff in Sacramento easier to support. Medical workplaces move quickly, so writing incidents down soon after they happen leads to clearer and more accurate information.
Useful documentation includes:
Keeping thorough and timely documentation helps preserve important details and can significantly strengthen a harassment claim.
To begin a complaint for harassment as a nurse or other healthcare worker in Sacramento, first look at the employee handbook or onboarding materials to see who to report to. It may need to go to a supervisor, HR, a designated compliance officer, or another manager listed in the policy.
It is important for healthcare workers to keep a copy of everything submitted. If the employer fails to respond quickly and take reasonable action to correct the harassment, this can help the legal claim. A lawyer at Erkel Law, P.C. can help you understand what to do if your employer fails to address the problem.
Healthcare workers dealing with harassment at work cannot immediately file a civil lawsuit, but instead need to submit a complaint with the California Civil Rights Department (CRD). Filing must take place within three years and the CRD might investigate, offer mediation, or grant a Right to Sue letter.
After the letter is issued, a Sacramento lawyer at Erkel Law, P.C. can prepare the lawsuit, gather evidence, interview witnesses, and support you through your entire healthcare worker harassment case.
Retaliation is a major concern for many Sacramento medical staff members who report harassment. It may include firing, demotion, reduced hours, schedule changes, unfair discipline or reports, and more. Track any negative change that occurs after reporting harassment, as the state prohibits such retaliation. A lawyer can help add retaliation to the harassment claim and explain how this changes the available remedies and overall process.
Nurses and healthcare workers in Sacramento who file harassment claims may be able to recover compensation for various damages. A lawyer at Erkel Law, P.C. can explain which of the following types of compensation may apply to your situation:
The specific compensation available depends on the facts of your case, but an experienced lawyer can help pursue the full range of remedies allowed under the law.
Harassment at work can make a demanding job in healthcare even harder. An experienced lawyer can help you with documentation, reporting, and support through every aspect of the claim. Contact Erkel Law, P.C. to speak with an attorney today about nurse & healthcare worker harassment claims in Sacramento.
Past results do not guarantee future outcomes, and each case is different. We offer free case evaluations, and no attorney’s fees are owed unless we recover compensation unless otherwise agreed to in the engagement agreement; clients may be responsible for case-related costs and expenses. Recognition by third-party legal directories is based on their own criteria and does not imply specialization or certification. Descriptions of practice areas do not constitute certification or specialization unless expressly stated. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or approved by any government agency.
(916) 709-3702 
