Harassment and Hostile Work Environment

Bullying

Workplace bullying occurs when you are subjected to repeated abusive conduct that is intimidating, humiliating, or undermines your ability to do your job. This can include yelling, threats, ridicule, sabotage, public shaming, or being intentionally isolated or set up to fail. Employers often dismiss bullying as “personality conflicts” or “management style,” but abusive conduct can be unlawful when it targets protected characteristics, involves retaliation, or creates a hostile work environment. Bullying also becomes illegal when employers knowingly allow it to continue and cause harm. No one should have to endure abuse to keep their job. Attorney Ryan’s team protects workers who are subjected to workplace bullying.

Harassment

Harassment occurs when unwelcome conduct based on your legally protected characteristics creates an abusive work environment. Harassment can include slurs, insults, offensive jokes, threats, or other conduct that interferes with your job. The conduct does not have to be physical, although physical aggression is a severe form of harassment. Unlawful harassment can come from supervisors, coworkers, or even customers or clients. Harassment can also take the form of repeated smaller acts that add up over time, such as persistent “pranks” that go too far. In some cases, a single severe incident is enough to violate the law. Centurion Trial Attorneys, led by Attorney Ryan Stygar, aggressively represents employees facing workplace harassment and works to hold employers accountable.

Hazing

Hazing occurs when an employer or workplace allows abusive, humiliating, or degrading conduct to be imposed on employees as a condition of employment, acceptance, or advancement. This can include forced pranks, physical intimidation, verbal abuse, excessive or dangerous tasks, or being singled out for mistreatment under the guise of “training,” “initiation,” or “team culture.” Hazing is unlawful when it creates a hostile or abusive work environment or puts workers at risk of harm. Calling it a joke or a rite of passage does not make it legal. Employees should never have to endure humiliation or danger to keep their jobs. Attorney Ryan’s team protects workers who are subjected to workplace hazing and holds employers responsible for allowing abusive practices to continue.

Hostile Work Environment (Non-Sexual)

A hostile work environment (non-sexual) exists when severe or repeated conduct based on a protected characteristic makes your workplace intimidating, abusive, or offensive. This can include harassment tied to your race, age, disability, religion, national origin, or other legally protected traits. The conduct may involve slurs, insults, threats, ridicule, or ongoing mistreatment that interferes with your ability to do your job. A single incident can also violate the law if it is severe enough. Your employer has a legal duty to stop harassment once it knows, or should know, it is happening. Centurion Trial Attorneys, led by Attorney Ryan Stygar, aggressively represents employees subjected to hostile work environments and holds employers accountable for failing to protect their workers.

Negligent Hiring and Supervision

Negligent hiring and supervision occurs when an employer fails to use reasonable care in hiring, training, or supervising employees, and that failure leads to harm in the workplace. This often arises when an employer ignores warning signs, fails to conduct proper background checks, or keeps employees in positions of authority despite known risks. Negligent supervision is a common issue in workplace violence cases and is even more frequent in sexual harassment cases, where employers fail to act on prior complaints or red flags. Employers have a duty to protect workers from foreseeable harm caused by their employees. When that duty is breached, injured workers may have claims beyond the underlying misconduct itself. Attorney Ryan’s team helps workers hold employers accountable when poor hiring or supervision puts them in harm’s way.

Workplace Violence

Workplace violence occurs when employees are exposed to threats, physical harm, intimidation, or credible danger while doing their jobs. This can include assaults, threats of violence, stalking, brandishing weapons, or violent outbursts by coworkers, supervisors, customers, or third parties. California law requires employers to take reasonable steps to prevent workplace violence and to respond promptly when risks are reported or become foreseeable. Employers cannot ignore warning signs, dismiss threats as “jokes,” or leave workers unprotected in dangerous situations. When employers fail to act, workers may suffer serious physical and emotional harm. Attorney Ryan’s team protects workers harmed by workplace violence and holds employers accountable for failing to keep the workplace safe.