When employees ask me whether reporting sexual harassment will ruin their careers, I understand the hesitation. Sexual harassment isn’t rare, and it usually isn’t as obvious as an assault. More often, it’s subtle: the senior executive who can’t stop commenting on your appearance, the manager who gets too close, the old-school salesman with “compliments” that cross the line. In most cases, the power imbalance makes employees worry that speaking up will cost them their job, their reputation, or their future opportunities.
Here’s the truth: reporting sexual harassment the right way does not hurt your career. In California, the law is on your side. Under the Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), harassment is unlawful whether it comes from a supervisor, coworker, or even a customer. And the Labor Code goes further, prohibiting employers from blackballing or retaliating against you for making a complaint. In fact, retaliation for reporting harassment is often a stronger legal claim than the harassment itself.
I’m Matt Ruggles. I’ve been practicing employment law in California for over 30 years. I’ve represented women and men across every industry, from hospitals to tech companies to sales floors, who were dealing with harassment they thought might end their careers. It didn’t. Reporting often strengthens an employee’s position, because most people, including juries, tend to believe harassment happens when someone reports it. Employers know this, which is why they’re quick to investigate and, more often than not, to protect the complainant rather than punish them.
What employees need to understand is that reporting sexual harassment isn’t a reckless act, it’s a protected one. You have the right to keep your complaint private, you have the right to a fair investigation, and you have the right to be free from retaliation. If your employer violates any of those rights, they’re breaking California law.
In this blog, I’m going to explain why reporting harassment rarely damages a career, how the law shields you, and what practical steps you should take to protect yourself.
What Counts as Sexual Harassment in California Workplaces?
Under FEHA, sexual harassment is unlawful when unwelcome conduct based on sex or gender is either severe or pervasive enough to affect your working conditions. It covers conduct by supervisors, coworkers, and even clients or vendors. The law recognizes two main categories: quid pro quo and hostile work environment.
Quid pro quo harassment happens when job benefits or continued employment are tied to submitting to sexual conduct. Example: a supervisor hints that your raise depends on “grabbing dinner” with him. That is classic quid pro quo.
Hostile work environment harassment is the steady drip of behavior that makes it harder to do your job. It does not need to be graphic to be illegal. A pattern of “milder” but inappropriate acts can add up: comments about your hands, hair, or shoulders; hovering in your personal space; leaning in too close; or an executive getting close enough to sniff your hair. One severe incident can be enough, or a series of smaller incidents can be enough if they are pervasive.
For a deeper understanding and explanation of how the severe versus pervasive standard works under California law, read my blog Severe vs. Pervasive Sexual Harassment in California: What Employees Need to Know.
What it can look like in California workplaces:
- Repeated sexual jokes or innuendos in meetings or chats.
- Comments about your body, clothing, or attractiveness, including non-sexual body parts like hands or shoulders.
- Unwanted physical contact: touching, rubbing, brushing past, shoulder “massages.”
- Standing too close, leering, or sniffing hair.
- Persistent requests for dates after you have clearly said no.
- Sharing or displaying sexual images, memes, or messages, including through email, text, or internal chat tools.
- Demeaning remarks tied to sex, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding.
- Spreading sexual rumors or commentary about someone’s private life.
A few points that California employees miss:
- Who can harass you: anyone in the workplace ecosystem, not just your boss. Coworkers, clients, and vendors count.
- Where it happens: offices, job sites, Zoom calls, off-site events, and digital channels all count if the conduct impacts your work.
- How much is “enough”: the legal standard is severe or pervasive. Do not wait for something extreme if you are already dealing with a steady pattern of unwanted conduct. Document and act.
If you’re facing sexual harassment at work in California, call the Ruggles Law Firm at 916-758-8058 for a free, confidential evaluation.
Privacy Rights When Reporting Sexual Harassment in California
One of the biggest concerns employees raise before reporting harassment is, “Will everyone at work know about this?” The short answer: no. Under California law, you have a right to privacy when you make a harassment complaint.
Here’s what that means in practice:
Privacy Right #1: Limited Disclosure in a California Sexual Harassment Investigation
When you complain to HR, your employer is required to investigate. That investigation may involve speaking to witnesses, supervisors, or even the person accused. But the company is not free to broadcast your complaint around the workplace. They are supposed to share only what is necessary, and they must disclose information carefully, moving from general to specific, to test credibility without exposing unnecessary details.
Privacy Right #2: Confidential Sexual Harassment Investigation Files in California
The company’s investigation records are not public documents. They are treated as private and, in many cases, attorney–client privileged. Unless the employer itself puts the investigation at issue in a lawsuit, these files usually remain confidential. Even if subpoenaed, courts are reluctant to open up an employer’s internal harassment investigation unless it directly relates to the legal claims in play.
Privacy Right #3: Your Sexual Harassment Complaint Stays Private Under California Law
California law has two layers of protection that stop employers from turning your complaint into gossip:
- Labor Code §§ 98.6 and 1102.5: These sections prohibit employers from retaliating against employees who make complaints about unlawful conduct, including sexual harassment. “Retaliation” is defined broadly — it isn’t just firing you, it can also include spreading the fact of your complaint in a way that damages your reputation or chills you from asserting your rights.
- Article I, section 1 of the California Constitution and related privacy statutes: These provisions require employers to keep certain personnel and investigation records confidential. While they don’t forbid HR from interviewing witnesses, they do prevent your employer from using or disclosing the information in a way that’s unnecessary or harmful to you.
Put simply: HR can ask questions necessary to investigate, but they can’t turn your complaint into an office rumor mill. If they start sharing your complaint casually, or worse, if management uses the fact that you complained to brand you as a “troublemaker,” that conduct can support a retaliation claim under FEHA and the Labor Code.
Note: Confidential doesn’t mean “nobody will ever know.” It means the company is legally required to limit disclosure to only what’s necessary for an investigation, and if they misuse that information, they’ve just handed you a retaliation claim.
Privacy Right #4: California Labor Code §1050 and Blackballing Complaints
Your privacy rights don’t end when you leave a job. California Labor Code § 1050 makes it illegal for an employer, or anyone acting on their behalf, to try to stop you from getting another job by spreading false or damaging statements about you. This practice is called blackballing.
Blackballing usually shows up when a former employer crosses the line during reference checks. Instead of sticking to the basics i.e. dates of employment, job title, maybe eligibility for rehire, they poison the well. They might tell a prospective employer, “She was a problem because she filed a harassment complaint,” or hint that you’re a “troublemaker” for speaking up. That conduct is not just unprofessional; it’s unlawful.
The penalties are serious. Under § 1050 and related provisions (§ 1052 and § 1054), employers who blackball can face both civil and criminal liability. That means you could sue them for damages, and the state could prosecute them for a misdemeanor punishable by fines or even jail time. In practice, few employers are reckless enough to risk it, which is why most stick to “name, rank, and serial number” references. But when an employer does try to smear you, the law gives you powerful remedies.
If you suspect a former employer has tried to ruin your job prospects by disclosing your protected activity, you may have a claim not just for retaliation but also for blackballing.
Privacy Right #5: Retaliation for Reporting Sexual Harassment in California
Even if your employer handles the investigation properly, they may not retaliate against you for making a complaint. Retaliation, whether it’s cutting your hours, passing you over for promotion, or pushing you out of the company, creates its own independent claim under FEHA. In other words, if your employer punishes you for coming forward, they’ve just made a bigger legal mistake than the harassment itself.
Tip: How to Protect Your Complaint in California
Don’t rely on your employer to keep records safe. Always:
- Print a copy of your written complaint, or take a screenshot of the email showing the date and time it was sent.
- Store that copy outside the company system (personal email or paper file).
- Keep contemporaneous notes of when and how you complained.
If your employer later claims “we never received your complaint,” you’ll have the proof in hand. That single step can make or break your case.
If you’re wondering what concrete steps to take the moment harassment happens, read my blog “How Should I Respond to Sexual Harassment?”
How to Write a Sexual Harassment Complaint Email to HR in California
If you’re wondering how a complaint should look, I’ll show you. Don’t overthink it. Keep it short, factual, and professional. The point is to put HR on notice and create a record.
Sample Formal HR Complaint Email for Sexual Harassment
Subject: Formal Complaint – Sexual Harassment
Dear [HR Manager’s Name],
I am submitting this written complaint to report sexual harassment I have experienced in the workplace. Specifically, on [insert dates], [insert harasser’s name/position] made unwelcome comments and engaged in conduct that created a hostile work environment. Examples include:
- [Brief description of conduct #1 with date]
- [Brief description of conduct #2 with date]
This conduct is unwelcome, and I am requesting that the company investigate and take appropriate action under its anti-harassment policy.
Please confirm receipt of this complaint. I will cooperate fully with the investigation.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
Sample Short HR Complaint Email for Sexual Harassment
Subject: Complaint – Harassment at Work
Hi [HR Manager’s Name],
I want to document that I’ve been experiencing unwanted conduct at work from [name/position]. On [insert dates], [insert brief examples] occurred. I am uncomfortable with this behavior and am asking that the company investigate and address it.
Thank you,
[Your Name]
Either format will work. The formal version is stronger if the behavior is serious or ongoing. The shorter version still preserves your rights because it puts HR on notice in writing. What matters most is that you’ve documented it, and you’ve asked for action. That’s the legal trigger under California law.
What If the Sexual Harasser Is Powerful or High-Profile in California?
It’s common for employees to worry: What if the person harassing me is powerful, connected, or high-profile? Won’t they poison my reputation in the industry?
In practice, that fear is bigger in theory than in reality. Harassers almost never go around advertising that they were accused of misconduct because it damages them, not you. Think about it: a “star” executive who brags, “I was fired for sexual harassment,” isn’t doing himself any favors. Talking about it hurts his income, his reputation, and his career. So while you might fear that the harasser will follow you around the industry, the truth is they usually go quiet to protect themselves.
And here’s what I’ve actually seen: employees who report harassment aren’t shunned. They’re respected. When someone files a good-faith complaint and the company investigates, most people believe it happened. Juries believe it. Other employees believe it. In today’s culture, employees who stand up to harassment are more often celebrated than blacklisted. But the idea that a powerful harasser will chase you around the industry and ruin your opportunities is a myth. The law protects you, and in my experience, reporting almost always strengthens your position rather than weakens it.
A common concern for employees facing sexual harassment is whether they should file a lawsuit while they’re still employed or wait until after they leave. For a deeper dive into that question and what strategy makes sense in California, read my blog “Should I File a Sexual Harassment Lawsuit While Still Employed?”
Reporting Sexual Harassment in California Is About Protecting Your Career
The bigger risk isn’t reporting harassment. The bigger risk is doing nothing. If your job has become miserable because someone is harassing you, what kind of future do you really have by staying silent or worse, by running away every time it happens? That’s not a career, that’s survival.
And here’s the blunt truth: how can you make that trade-off? You’re getting harassed now. Your present job is toxic. Choosing silence because you’re worried about some speculative future risk doesn’t make sense. You can’t build a career on fear of what might happen down the road while you’re being mistreated today.
Reporting is how you protect your future. It puts the problem on the record, forces the company to deal with it, and gives you legal protection if they retaliate. In my experience, employees who step up are not the ones who lose their careers. They’re the ones who take control of them. Staying quiet only leaves you stuck in a toxic situation with no leverage.
If you want a career worth having, you can’t build it on silence. Reporting harassment is the first step toward reclaiming your workplace and protecting your long-term future.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT REPORTING SEXUAL HARASSMENT IN CALIFORNIA
Can reporting sexual harassment hurt my career in California?
No. Reporting sexual harassment is a protected activity under California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA). If your employer retaliates against you for filing a complaint, that retaliation is illegal and often becomes a stronger legal claim than the harassment itself.
What counts as sexual harassment in the workplace under California law?
Sexual harassment includes quid pro quo harassment (job benefits tied to sexual conduct) and hostile work environment harassment (unwelcome conduct that is severe or pervasive). It can be as obvious as groping or as subtle as repeated comments about your appearance, standing too close, or sniffing your hair.
Do I have privacy rights when I report sexual harassment?
Yes. Your complaint must be kept confidential. Employers are required to investigate, but they cannot spread your complaint around the workplace. Investigation files are treated as private and often attorney–client privileged. Even if subpoenaed, they usually remain sealed unless directly at issue in litigation.
What if the harasser is a powerful or high-profile person in my company?
Harassers rarely “poison” employees’ reputations because admitting to harassment damages them, not you. In reality, employees who stand up against harassment are more often respected than blacklisted. If retaliation happens, California law protects you.
How do I write a complaint email about sexual harassment to HR?
Keep it short and factual. State who did what, when, and ask for an investigation. Example: “On [date], [name/position] made [unwelcome conduct]. I am uncomfortable with this behavior and request that the company investigate.” Avoid speculation or emotional venting. Facts are your legal shield.
How long do I have to file a sexual harassment claim in California?
You have three years from the date of the last incident to file a complaint with the California Civil Rights Department (CRD). But don’t wait because reporting promptly strengthens your credibility and puts you under legal protection sooner.
Conclusion: Reporting Sexual Harassment in California and Protecting Your Rights
Reporting sexual harassment in California should not hurt your career. If it does, your employer has broken the law, and you have strong claims. Don’t let fear keep you from protecting your dignity and your livelihood.
Contact the Ruggles Law Firm at 916-758-8058 to Evaluate Your Potential Lawsuit
Matt Ruggles has a thorough understanding of California employment laws and decades of practical experience litigating employment law claims in California state and federal courts. Using all of his knowledge and experience, Matt and his team can quickly evaluate your potential claim and give you realistic advice on what you can expect if you sue your former employer.
Contact the Ruggles Law Firm at 916-758-8058 for a free, no-obligation evaluation.
Blog posts are not legal advice and are for information purposes only. Contact the Ruggles Law Firm for consideration of your individual circumstances.
