Helping You Fight Sexual Orientation Harassment And Discrimination

Here in Colorado, you have the right to a workplace that is free from harassment and discrimination on the basis of your sexual orientation. If your employer is acting in a way that is discriminatory or harassing, or if he or she allowed a hostile work environment to grow, we can defend your rights.

There are laws in place that protect employees against unfair and illegal treatment, including individuals who are homosexual, bisexual, transgender and others. If you believe that you are the victim of harassment or discrimination in the workplace because of your sexual orientation, our team at The Litigation Boutique LLC, can help.

What Protections Do You Have Under The Law?

Colorado laws offer protections to LGBTQ individuals who could face inappropriate treatment in the workplace. Like employees who experience racial discrimination or harassment of a sexual nature, you have grounds for a civil claim against your employer if you faced hostile, discriminatory or harassing treatment at your place of work. You could be a victim if you experienced any of the following:

• Wrongful termination: Firing an employee due to their sexual orientation or gender identity is a clear violation.
• Pass-overs: This practice involves bypassing a qualified candidate for leadership roles, training opportunities or client-facing positions based on “fit” concerns that are actually veiled bias against LGBTQ+ status.
• Hostile work environment: Colorado law has moved beyond the strict federal “severe or pervasive” standard. Actionable conduct now includes slurs, derogatory jokes, “outing” an employee against their will or tolerating a culture of ridicule that a reasonable person would find offensive.
• Discriminatory policies: Examples of these rules are denying spousal health benefits to same-sex partners, excluding gender-affirming care from medical coverage or enforcing dress codes that rigidly adhere to gender stereotypes.
• Restroom and pronoun misuse: Denying an employee access to facilities consistent with their gender identity is a violation. The intentional and persistent refusal to use an employee’s preferred name and pronouns can also be a form of workplace harassment.
• Invasive inquiries about identity: Employers generally cannot ask invasive questions about an employee’s anatomy, medical history or sexual practices during interviews or employment.

Our attorneys strongly believe that there is no place for this type of treatment in the workplace. We have the experience needed to build a strong civil claim on your behalf, fighting for restitution for the ways that discrimination and harassment affected your life, including back pay, compensatory damages and punitive damages.

How To Fight Sexual Orientation Discrimination At Work

If someone at work is facing discrimination, it is crucial to take immediate action. Secure copies of emails, texts and performance reviews off-company servers.

You also have to look out for retaliation after reporting internally. Remember, retaliation isn’t always termination. It often appears as sudden poor evaluations, exclusion from key meetings or undesirable shift changes.

Document these changes in treatment immediately. You generally have 300 days to file with the Colorado Civil Rights Division (CCRD) or the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).

Providing Employment Law Advice To Employers And Employees

Facing claims of sexual orientation harassment and discrimination requires a sophisticated understanding of Colorado’s Anti-Discrimination Act (CADA). With over 20 years of experience, our firm offers a distinct advantage: we actively represent both employees and employers.

This perspective grants us unique insight into the strategies used by the opposing side. With this advantage, we us build stronger, more effective cases for our clients, regardless of which side they occupy.

We recognize that these matters often involve deeply personal circumstances or high-stakes reputational risk. This is why we handle every consultation with absolute discretion and strict confidentiality.

Protecting Employees’ Dignity In The Workplace

We offer confidential case evaluations. You can schedule an appointment to meet with one of the lawyers on our experienced litigation team by contacting us online or calling our Denver office at 303-578-2833.