San Francisco Real Estate Agent Sexual Harassment Lawyer

California’s real estate market is the largest in the United States. After years of training and education, you may have joined this industry as a professional real estate agent with high hopes for the future. Unfortunately, the real estate industry is riddled with crimes such as sexual harassment, discrimination and even assault in the workplace. 

If you are a victim of sexual harassment as a real estate agent in San Francisco, the attorneys at Manly, Stewart & Finaldi can help you. Call us at (800) 700-8450 for a free case consultation so that we can get started on your sexual harassment complaint.

Why Choose Our San Francisco Real Estate Agent Sexual Harassment Lawyers?

  • We are renowned sexual harassment and assault attorneys and America’s leading sexual abuse law firm. We have what it takes to handle even the most challenging sexual harassment case.
  • Our San Francisco sexual harassment attorneys will help you take legal action while always listening to you, putting you first and protecting your rights. We can keep your identity anonymous, if desired.
  • We represent real estate agent plaintiffs in sexual harassment claims on a contingency fee basis, meaning you will only pay our legal fees if you win your case.

The Pervasive Issue of Sexual Harassment in San Francisco’s Real Estate Industry

As a real estate agent, you could face sexual harassment in many different aspects of your job. On a career level, you may be sexually harassed by your superiors, such as the real estate agency or a broker. You could be discriminated against at work because of your sex, gender, gender identity, relationship status or pregnancy. A coworker in the office may sexually harass you by asking you out on dates, touching you inappropriately, or making offensive comments or innuendos.

In addition, you could face sexual harassment from a client, homeowner or potential buyer during a house showing in San Francisco. As a real estate agent, part of your job is having one-on-one meetings with clients, often in empty homes or vacant properties. This can put you at risk of being sexually harassed, abused or assaulted with no witnesses around to help. This risk factor specifically plagues workers in the real estate industry.

What Does Real Estate Agent Sexual Harassment Look Like?

Workplace sexual harassment is defined as any offensive action or behavior that violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 or California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act. Both of these laws prohibit unwelcome sexual advances or other conduct of a sexual nature against an employee based on the victim’s sex. Examples of sexual harassment in the real estate industry include:

  • A boss or superior offering a promotion or better listing in exchange for consent to sexual acts.
  • A real estate agent suffering adverse employment actions for refusing a boss’s sexual advances.
  • A coworker making crude, sexually explicit, inappropriate or discriminatory remarks at work.
  • A client or homeowner taking advantage of a real estate agent while the two of them are alone.

There are two types of workplace sexual harassment: quid pro quo and hostile work environment. Quid pro quo means “this for that,” or an offer to trade employment benefits for sexual favors. A hostile work environment means that a real estate agent no longer feels safe, welcome or productive in the workplace due to harassment from others. Both types are against the law and could give a victim grounds to file a claim in San Francisco.

What Is the Code of Conduct Among Realtors?

Real estate agents in San Francisco should not have to deal with the fear and stress of being harassed in the workplace. There are several laws in place to prevent these crimes, including a Code of Conduct enacted by the National Association of Realtors (NAR). This code prohibits the harassment of its members, staff and service providers based on sex and other protected classes and characteristics.  

Prohibited acts of harassment include all unwelcome behavior that creates a hostile, abusive or intimidating environment or otherwise affects the victim’s ability to participate in work activities as a realtor. NAR’s Code of Conduct prohibits inappropriate conduct, verbal comments, visual displays, gestures, physical conduct, threats, demands and electronically transmitted material of an offensive nature. 

In addition, California recently passed Senate Bill 224 to establish liability for sexual harassment when a victim proves certain elements, such as a professional relationship between the plaintiff and defendant. This includes a relationship involving a real estate agent or real estate appraiser. The passing of this bill expanded the list of individuals who could be liable for sexual harassment against real estate agents, as well as allowed the Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) to handle sexual harassment complaints involving non-employer relationships.

What Are Your Legal Options as a Victim of Real Estate Agent Sexual Harassment in San Francisco?

If you experience sexual harassment at work as a real estate agent in San Francisco, take action by reporting the incident immediately. Report harassment or inappropriate behaviors to your boss and the company’s human resources department. If the company does not do anything to protect you or take action against the harasser, you can file an official complaint with the DFEH. They will send investigators to your workplace to look into the issue and potentially take action against the harasser – and your employer for failing to protect you.

Keep careful documentation of each incident of sexual harassment. Write down who was involved, witnesses that were present, where the incident occurred and exactly what happened. Then, take your information and records to a real estate agent sexual harassment attorney in San Francisco for a free case consultation. At our law firm, you can receive answers to your questions and legal counsel that you can trust about what to do next and how to pursue financial compensation through a civil claim in California.

Contact Us Today for a Free and Confidential Case Review

At Manly, Stewart & Finaldi, we know how to seek justice for victims of sexual harassment in the real estate industry. Our plaintiff’s attorneys can guide you through the claims process while advocating for your rights and best interests. We can help you go up against your employer, a client or another party in pursuit of financial compensation for the losses that you suffered due to sexual harassment, which may include lost wages, lost employment opportunities, medical costs and psychological harm. To begin your case, contact us to request a free and confidential consultation with a real estate agent sexual harassment attorney.