Item: SAC Attorneys LLP
Rating: 5
Author: Cynthia F.

Is Your Company Prepared to Respond to Sex Harassment Allegations?

It is generally understood that work environments in Silicon Valley are unlike those in the rest of the United States. Whether the business is a small tech startup or a more established company, everything about the work experience tends to be more fluid. Work may happen at all hours of the day and night, colleagues become friends and the boundaries between professional and personal life start to blur.

While this is an exciting environment to work in, it also comes with risks. If you own the business and hired the employees, you are ultimately responsible for resolving any employment disputes that arise. And you will likely be held liable if those disputes are not resolved quickly and fairly. According to the results of a recent survey, one of the biggest problems facing Silicon Valley companies is sexual harassment.

” The Elephant In The Valley ” was a survey taken by more than 220 women in Silicon Valley who have been working in tech for at least a decade. Approximately 75 percent of survey respondents held high-ranking positions within their companies.

According to the results, 60 percent of the women surveyed said that they have received unwanted sexual advances at work (or at work-related functions). The majority of these advances were from their superiors. The reported rates of gender discrimination and observed sexist behavior were also alarmingly high.

There have been some high-profile examples in recent years of sexual harassment at tech startups with very few employees. Even if the alleged victim does not file a lawsuit, sexual harassment allegations can result in negative press, lost work time, low workplace morale and other problems that your company likely cannot afford.

As the head of your own company, you have an opportunity to create a workplace culture that is inclusive and mutually respectful. Laying out your workplace policies in writing and discussing expectations with all employees may help you avoid incidents of sexual harassment and to resolve them quickly if they do ever occur. As you draft these workplace policies, employment contracts and other documents, you may find it helpful to consult an experienced business law attorney.

★★★★★

Mr. Cai Is a Diligent Attorney. My sister and I were defendants in a civil litigation case. We hired James Cai and his law firm, SAC Attorneys LLP. Mr. Cai is a diligent attorney and responded to our questions in a timely fashion. He and his staff were very helpful in keeping us informed of the proceedings of the case and in explaining each step. Mr. Cai is also very conscientious of fees and costs, and avoided unnecessary charges. The results of the Summary Adjudication sided with us. The Court Trial resulted in the “Final Statement of Decision” and “Judgment after Court Trial” overwhelmingly siding with us. Cynthia F.

I Am Truly Impressed. After spending a significant amount of time, money and efforts with my previous counsel at a larger law firm without getting meaningful results, I transferred my employment matter to SAC Attorneys LLP. The attorneys there were able to understand the complex situations of my case and put together an aggressive litigation strategy. We were able to file a compelling complaint within a week and forced the opposing party, which was represented by one of the largest law firms in California, to make a substantial settlement offer shortly thereafter. I am truly impressed by the no nonsense and results oriented approach by SAC Attorneys LLP attorneys. A job well done! X. Gao

They Took Time to Understand Our Technology. I am the founder of a bioinformatics start-up in the Silicon Valley and chose SAC Attorneys LLP as our corporate counsels. Their attorneys have great experience with high tech start-ups and were able to offer a highly competitive service plan while not sacrificing a bit of their quality of services. They took time to understand our technology and provided value added services by introducing investors and job candidates to us. We regard our attorneys at SAC Attorneys LLP not only as our legal advisors but also our venture partners. Dr. Pete S.

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