Employment Related Claims Employment, Sexual Harassment, Discrimination and Wrongful Termination Sexual Harassment can occur in any walk of life. Whether its at work, or elsewhere, sexual harassment and discrimination are a fact of life. Discrimination claims can involve five protected areas:

Unfortunately, in the workplace, discrimination occurs because of any one of the five protected civil rights. Violation of your civil rights can give rise to either state or federal claims along with recovery of attorney's fees, costs and punitive damages awarded by any jury in a lawsuit. Employees, as you may have been, are also sometimes wrongfully terminated or discharged from work without cause or in violation of your five (5) protected civil rights. Despite the fact that Washington is an "at will" state, which means an employer can fire anyone when it wants to and for whatever reasons, this does not mean your civil rights can be violated nor does it mean company rules, regulations and policy manuals can be ignored. If you intend to seek out a consultation with our office, please bring your contract, policy manuals and other documents from your employer to the initial meeting with our firm.

We are experienced in handling sexual harassment claims, constructive termination or actual termination claims/wrongful discharge and various discrimination claims both in federal and state court. Constructive termination claims can arise when the work environment becomes so offensive and hostile that you can no longer continue to work in the present work environment. Many clients seek out medical care, such as psychological or psychiatric therapeutic treatment, to deal with sexual harassment in a workplace. Often clients cannot return to work because of the abusive work environment. Although they are not technically fired, the law deems such oppressive work conditions as "constructive discharge". This means that the environment has been so hostile and offensive that no reasonable person could have worked under the same or similar conditions. This amounts to, in effect, a "constructive" discharge, in theory, which may entitle the aggrieved employee to recover medical bills, wage loss, punitive damages, attorney's fees and costs and other expenses. Front and back pay are also damages that may be awarded under the right conditions in an employment case. Examples of employment discrimination cases handled have been racial discrimination, religious discrimination, sexual harassment, wrongful termination, age discrimination, and many others.

For a free consultation over the Internet via e-mail or either by telephone, please call 1 (800) 282-4878 or arrange for a free consultation at your home, in the office or at a location near you which is mutually convenient. rob@kornfeldlaw.com

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