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What to do if you are sexually harassed at work, including if you want to quit

Sexual harassment at work is against the law in California, at every job, with or without papers. It is not your fault, and you do not have to put up with it to keep your job. Here is what to do first, how to report it, and how to protect yourself if you decide to leave.

Where this applies
California state law (the Fair Employment and Housing Act). Free help listed for San Mateo County and Santa Clara County residents.
Facts checked
Who it’s for

Anyone working in California who is facing sexual comments, touching, pressure or threats at work, with or without papers. Also for family members, pastors and friends helping someone through it.

On this page

Take the next step

This page is general information, not legal advice. DNLH is not a crisis line or a law office. It covers sexual harassment at work. For other kinds of discrimination, see What counts as illegal discrimination or harassment at work.

Am I in danger right now?

If someone hurt you or might hurt you, call 911. If you were sexually assaulted, you can also call a free, confidential support line any time:

  • YWCA Golden Gate Silicon Valley, 24/7 bilingual support line: 800-572-2782. It serves survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence and human trafficking. Its North County center is in Palo Alto.
  • RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline, 24/7: call 800-656-4673, text HOPE to 64673, or chat at rainn.org. English and Spanish.

If you are thinking about hurting yourself, call or text 988, or chat at 988lifeline.org. It is free, confidential, and open 24/7. For help in Spanish, dial 988 and press 2.

We know this is hard. You did nothing to cause it.

Is what is happening to me sexual harassment?

It may be. Sexual harassment is unwanted conduct of a sexual nature, or conduct based on sex or gender, at work. Examples:

  • Comments about your body, your clothes or your sex life
  • Sexual jokes, messages, pictures or videos
  • Touching, grabbing, brushing against you, or blocking your way
  • Pressure for dates or sex
  • Staring or gestures
  • Sexual assault

The state's Civil Rights Department describes two main kinds:

  • "Do this or else." Someone with power over your job asks for sex or a date, and your hours, pay, schedule or job depend on your answer. Even if no one says it out loud, a threat can be implied.
  • A hostile workplace. Unwanted sexual conduct is serious enough, or happens often enough, that it makes work hostile or frightening. One very serious incident can be enough. California law says a single incident can support a claim if it unreasonably interfered with your work (Government Code 12923).

The harasser can be a boss, a coworker, or someone who does not work there, like a customer or client. Your employer is responsible for a coworker or customer when it knew or should have known and did not act quickly to stop it (Government Code 12940(j)). Harassers and the people they target can be any gender, including the same gender. Harassment does not have to be about sexual desire to count.

Every workplace. In California, harassment is illegal at every job, even one with fewer than 5 workers. Your status does not matter. The Civil Rights Department says the law protects workers whatever their citizenship or immigration status, and it does not ask about status.

What should I write down?

Write it down the same day if you can. Keep notes on your own phone or in a notebook at home, not on a work device.

  • The date, time and place
  • What was said or done, using the exact words
  • Who did it, and who saw or heard
  • What you did right after, and who you told
  • Any change at work afterward, like fewer hours or worse shifts

Save texts, emails, social media messages and voicemails. Take screenshots that show the date and the sender. Tell someone you trust, like a friend or family member. Telling someone soon after can help later.

How do I report it at work?

You do not have to confront the harasser. If it feels safe, you can tell them clearly to stop, but the law does not require you to.

  1. Find your workplace's process. Look in your handbook or on posters for how to report harassment. Employers with 5 or more workers must give harassment prevention training, so there may be a policy.
  2. Report in writing. Send a short email or letter to a manager or human resources. Say what happened, when, and who did it. Ask them to make it stop. Keep a copy. A sample is in the printable.
  3. If the harasser is the owner or your boss, report to someone above them if there is one. If there is no one, go straight to a clinic or the state.
  4. Ask for safety changes. You can ask not to work alone with the harasser, or for a different shift or location. Your pay and hours should not be cut because you reported.

Can I report it outside work?

Yes. You can do any of these, in any order. You do not have to report at work first.

If you were the victim of a crime, you may have time off rights for court, medical care, counseling and safety planning, and some survivors of certain crimes may be able to seek immigration protection. See Your job rights as a survivor of abuse and Help for survivors.

What should I do before I quit?

Many people want to leave, and that is a fair choice. Your safety and peace matter more than any job. If you can, take a few steps first so you keep your options.

  1. Talk to a clinic first, if you can. Quitting can affect a later claim and your unemployment. A short call can help you decide when and how to leave.
  2. Save your proof before your last day. Forward your own messages to a personal account if your workplace allows it. Do not take company papers you are not allowed to have.
  3. Report in writing first, if it is safe. A written report shows your employer knew and had a chance to fix it.
  4. Write down the reason you are leaving. If you give a resignation letter, you can say you are leaving because of the harassment. Keep a copy. A clinic can help with the wording.
  5. Plan your final paycheck. If you give at least 72 hours' notice, you must be paid all wages, including earned vacation, on your last day. If you quit without notice, you must be paid within 72 hours. You can ask for it to be mailed. If it is late, see Final paycheck.
  6. Keep your deadline in mind. Leaving does not end your right to file with the Civil Rights Department. You still generally have 3 years from the last thing that happened.

Pushed out? California calls this constructive discharge. You may be able to bring a claim as if you were fired if your employer created or knowingly allowed conditions so intolerable that a reasonable person in your place would have felt forced to quit (Turner v. Anheuser-Busch, California Supreme Court, 1994). That is a high bar and it turns on your facts. Ask a clinic or lawyer before you quit.

What if I signed something, or they offer me money?

Do not sign a settlement or release about the harassment until a clinic or lawyer reads it. If you already signed an arbitration agreement at work, you may still have options. See What it means if your job asks you to sign an arbitration agreement.

Questions people ask

I did not say no at the time because I was afraid. Does it still count? Yes, it can. Fear of losing a job is real. Unwanted means you did not welcome it, even if you stayed quiet.

It was a customer, not my boss. Is my employer responsible? It can be. The law makes your employer responsible when it knew or should have known about a customer's harassment and did not act quickly to stop it. Report it in writing so there is a record that they knew.

I work for a small business with 3 people. Am I protected? Yes. Harassment is illegal at every workplace in California.

Do I need papers to file? No. The Civil Rights Department does not ask about status.

Will my employer find out it was me? If you file a complaint, your employer will usually be told about it. Talk with a clinic about your safety before you file.

Who can help?

These are free public offices, nonprofit clinics and support lines. Contact them to confirm hours, languages and openings. Being listed here is not a referral or a promise of service.

What happened to you was wrong. You deserve a safe place to work. You are not alone in this, and there is a way forward.

Is there something I can print?

Sources

Printed from https://donotlosehope.com/guides/sexually-harassed-work-including-want-quit/. Facts checked October 21, 2026. Free information, not legal advice.

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