If your boss touched you inappropriately at a work event, it can be shocking, confusing, and deeply unsettling. Many women question whether it “counts” because it happened at a holiday party, conference, offsite retreat, client dinner, or team happy hour. Under California law, it does. Sexual harassment at a work event in California is treated the same as misconduct that happens in the office. Employer-sponsored events are considered an extension of the workplace, supervisors are held to a heightened standard of conduct, and inappropriate touching by a supervisor can constitute unlawful sexual harassment under California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), even if the conduct occurred after hours, offsite, or involved alcohol.
I’m Matt Ruggles. I’ve been practicing employment law in California for more than 30 years, and I’ve represented women across nearly every industry who were sexually harassed by supervisors at work and at company events. My clients have included executives, physicians, managers, frontline healthcare workers, retail employees, and professionals at all levels of an organization. I’ve seen firsthand how harassment at company parties and work functions is often minimized or excused, particularly when alcohol is involved or when the person responsible holds power within the organization.
I wrote this blog because what you do immediately after an incident like this matters. The steps you take, and the order you take them in, can affect whether your employer takes the situation seriously, whether you are protected from retaliation, and whether you preserve the evidence needed to pursue a legal claim. California law independently prohibits retaliation for reporting sexual harassment under Government Code § 12940(h), but those protections work best when employees respond deliberately and document the right things early.
This guide is designed to show you exactly what to do first, how to protect yourself, and how to position yourself if you ultimately need to hold your employer accountable or pursue damages.
What to Do First After Sexual Harassment at a Work Event in California
If you experienced sexual harassment at a company party, conference, or other work event, it is normal to feel frozen about what to do next. Many employees worry about overreacting, damaging their careers, or making the situation worse by speaking up. Others assume they should wait and see how things play out. That instinct is understandable, but it is often costly.
The steps below are designed to give you structure at a moment when things feel disorganized and overwhelming. Each step serves a specific legal purpose. Together, they help protect your credibility, preserve evidence, reduce the risk of retaliation, and put you in the strongest possible position if your employer fails to respond appropriately. The order matters. Skipping steps, delaying action, or handling this informally can undermine protections that California law otherwise provides.
If you are dealing with sexual harassment at a work event in California and are unsure what to do next, call me at the Ruggles Law Firm at (916) 758-8058. I can help you understand your rights, talk through what just happened, and make sure you take the right steps early to protect yourself.
Step #1: Document Sexual Harassment at a Work Event in California Immediately
If your boss touched you at a work event, the single most important thing you can do right away is write down exactly what happened. Do this as soon as possible, while the details are still clear. In cases involving workplace harassment at a company party in California, credibility often turns on contemporaneous notes. Waiting even a few days gives your employer room to question memory, minimize the conduct, or recast what occurred.
Your written account should be factual and specific. Treat it like a neutral record, not an emotional narrative. Include:
- The date, time, and location of the event
- Who touched you, exactly how, and where on your body
- Any words spoken before, during, or after the contact
- Who witnessed the conduct or saw what happened immediately afterward
- How you reacted and how the other person responded
Avoid labels and conclusions. Do not write “he sexually harassed me” or “it was inappropriate.” Write what actually happened. For example, instead of “he made me uncomfortable,” describe the physical contact, the setting, and the reaction. When someone later reads your notes, they should be able to picture the moment without interpretation.
This step matters whether the incident occurred at a holiday party, conference, client dinner, or team happy hour. When a boss touches an employee at a work event, employers often try to frame the situation as casual, social, or alcohol-related. A clear, immediate written record cuts through that defense and anchors the facts before narratives start to shift.
Do Not Do This:
Do not wait days or weeks hoping the details will become clearer later. They rarely do. Memory fades, small details blur, and delays are routinely used to challenge credibility in sexual harassment cases.
Matt’s Practical Tip:
California law treats office parties and employer-sponsored events as extensions of the workplace. Being off the clock, offsite, or at a social event does not excuse inappropriate touching or physical contact by a supervisor.
If your supervisor crossed the line and you are unsure what to do next, read my blog: What To Do If Your Boss Sexually Harasses You in California.
Step #2: Preserve Evidence of Sexual Harassment at a Work Event in California
After you document what happened, preserve every piece of evidence connected to the event. In cases involving sexual harassment at a work event in California, evidence often looks informal or incidental at first. That does not make it unimportant. Employers and investigators routinely piece cases together from small details that only make sense when viewed as a whole.
Save anything tied to the event or the people involved, including:
- Text messages, emails, Slack, or Teams messages
- Photos or videos taken at the event
- Calendar invites, event announcements, or itineraries
- Ride-share receipts, hotel confirmations, or expense reports
Take screenshots where necessary and store copies somewhere you control, not just on a work phone, work laptop, or company email account. If your employer later limits your access or separates you from systems, you do not want critical evidence locked behind a corporate login.
This step is especially important when workplace harassment occurs at a company party in California, where communication is often casual and spread across personal devices, group chats, and social media. Those informal records frequently become the most persuasive evidence.
Do Not Do This:
Do not delete messages, photos, or records because they seem embarrassing, unclear, or “too small” to matter. Patterns often emerge only after evidence is reviewed together.
Matt’s Practical Tip:
Evidence from social or celebratory work events may feel informal, but California courts and investigators treat it just as seriously as office emails and written complaints.
If you want to understand how to protect yourself by creating a strong paper trail, read my blog: How to Document and Prove Sexual Harassment in California.
Step #3: How to Report Sexual Harassment at a Work Event to HR in California
California law generally expects employees to report harassment internally so the employer has an opportunity to correct it. Reporting is also what triggers many of your legal protections. When reporting sexual harassment at a work event, clarity matters.
Your report should do four things:
- Identify the supervisor involved
- Describe the conduct factually
- State that the contact was unwelcome and made you uncomfortable
- Request that the company investigate
Follow your employer’s written harassment policy if one exists. If reporting to the designated person in the company’s policy manual seems inappropriate or unsafe, reporting to another supervisor, manager or compliance contact may still qualify as protected activity. The point here is to make sure a person at the company responsible for enforcing the harassment policy learns of your complaint directly from you.
Be direct. Call the conduct what it is. Avoid vague language designed to “keep the peace.” Employers often argue they did not understand the seriousness of a complaint when the report is softened or ambiguous.
Do Not Do This:
Do not water down the report to avoid discomfort or conflict. Vagueness can limit the employer’s obligation to act and weaken later claims.
Matt’s Practical Tip:
Reporting harassment at a work function is protected activity under California law, even when the person you are reporting is your boss.
If you are worried you may unintentionally weaken your case when speaking up, read my blog: Mistakes Employees Make When Reporting Sexual Harassment.
Step #4: Document Your Harassment Complaint and Employer Response in California
Once you report the incident, keep your own written timeline of everything that follows. In many cases, the strongest claims do not turn on the initial misconduct alone, but on what happens next.
Track:
- When you reported the incident
- Who you reported it to
- What the company said it would do
- Any changes in your schedule, duties, or treatment afterward
If conversations happen verbally, follow up with a short email confirming what was discussed. You are not being difficult. You are creating a record.
In cases involving retaliation after reporting harassment in California, timelines matter. Sudden shifts in tone, responsibilities, or performance feedback often tell the real story.
Do Not Do This:
Do not rely on HR to create or preserve the only record. You should maintain your own documentation from start to finish.
Matt’s Practical Tip:
Many retaliation cases succeed not because of what happened at the event, but because of how the employer responded after the complaint.
If HR dismissed, ignored, or minimized your complaint, read my blog: What If HR Ignores Your Sexual Harassment Complaint in California.
If you have reported sexual harassment at a work event and your employer is minimizing what happened, delaying an investigation, or treating you differently afterward, call me at the Ruggles Law Firm at (916) 758-8058. I can help you evaluate the employer’s response, preserve your claims, and determine whether legal action makes sense based on your situation.
Step #5: Watch for Retaliation After Reporting Sexual Harassment at a Work Event
After you report harassment, pay close attention to how you are treated. Retaliation does not always look dramatic or immediate. It often shows up quietly and gradually, especially after reporting harassment at a work event.
Warning signs include:
- Being excluded from meetings or events
- Sudden criticism of your performance
- Schedule changes, demotion, or termination
- Pressure to “move on,” minimize the incident, or treat it as no big deal
Retaliation for reporting harassment is independently illegal under California law, even if the employer disputes whether the underlying harassment occurred. You do not have to prove the company agrees with you. You only have to show you reported in good faith and were punished for it.
Do Not Do This:
Do not assume retaliation must be extreme to be unlawful. Subtle changes can still violate the law when they affect your job or working conditions.
Matt’s Practical Tip:
Employers cannot punish you for reporting harassment that occurs at a holiday party, conference, or any employer-sponsored event.
If you are afraid that reporting harassment could harm your career, read my blog: Does Reporting Sexual Harassment Hurt Your Career?
What to Expect From an Employer Investigation After Sexual Harassment at a Work Event in California
Once an employer receives notice of sexual harassment, including sexual harassment at a work event in California, the law requires more than polite listening. Under the Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) and related regulations, employers must take immediate and appropriate corrective action. In most cases, that means launching a prompt, thorough, and impartial investigation.
Internal investigations are rarely comfortable. They can feel intrusive, slow, or frustratingly neutral. That does not mean they are meaningless. How the investigation is conducted, what the employer does or fails to do, and how it treats you during the process all matter legally.
What California Employers Are Required to Do Under the FEHA After a Harassment Report
After a report of harassment, employers are typically required to:
- Act promptly rather than delay or “wait and see”
- Assign an investigator who is neutral and trained
- Interview the complaining employee, the accused, and relevant witnesses
- Review documents, messages, photos, and other evidence
- Take corrective action if misconduct is substantiated
- Prevent retaliation during and after the process
An employer does not get credit for good intentions. Courts and agencies look at whether the response was timely, serious, and reasonably calculated to stop the misconduct.
If you are considering legal action but are still employed, read my blog: Should I File a Sexual Harassment Lawsuit While Still Employed?
What a Proper Sexual Harassment Investigation Should Include Under California Law
A proper investigation is not just a quick conversation or a check-the-box exercise. In a well-run process, you can expect:
- A designated investigator, either internal HR or an outside investigator
- A request for your statement, often in writing or during an interview
- Interviews of the accused supervisor and any witnesses
- Review of texts, emails, Slack or Teams messages, photos, and event records
- Documentation of findings and conclusions
In cases involving workplace harassment at a company party in California, investigators often focus on the context of the event, who attended, alcohol involvement, prior conduct, and whether similar complaints exist.
Will My Employer Interview Me About Sexual Harassment at a Work Event?
Yes. In most investigations, you will be interviewed and asked to describe what occurred. The investigator may ask detailed questions about timing, location, physical contact, witnesses, and how the incident affected you.
This can feel uncomfortable or repetitive. That does not mean you did anything wrong. Your role is to be factual and consistent. Stick to what you know. If you documented the incident early, this step is much easier.
You are generally allowed to take notes and may ask how the process works, though the investigator may limit discussion of conclusions while the investigation is ongoing.
Will a Supervisor Be Fired for Sexual Harassment at a Work Event in California?
Not necessarily. The FEHA does not require termination in every case. Employers are required to take appropriate corrective action, which can include discipline, training, reassignment, separation of employees, or termination, depending on the severity and findings.
The legal question is not whether the employer chose the harshest punishment. It is whether the response was reasonably calculated to stop the harassment and prevent it from happening again.
Will My Employer Tell Me the Results of a Harassment Investigation in California?
Employers are usually required to tell you that the investigation is complete and whether corrective action was taken, but they are not required to share detailed findings, witness statements, or specific discipline imposed.
This often frustrates employees. Limited disclosure does not automatically mean the investigation was improper. What matters is whether the employer actually addressed the problem and protected you from retaliation.
What If My Employer Mishandles a Sexual Harassment Investigation in California?
That matters. A delayed, one-sided, or dismissive investigation can itself support a legal claim. Courts and agencies look closely at whether employers minimized complaints, ignored evidence, protected supervisors, or treated the process as a formality.
If the employer drags its feet, fails to separate you from the supervisor, pressures you to move on, or treats the incident as no big deal, those facts become part of the legal record.
If you want to see how poor investigations and HR failures can create liability, read my blog: Mishandled Sexual Harassment Claims: A Case Study in California.
Why a Harassment Investigation Still Matters Even If You Plan to Leave Your Job
Many employees assume the investigation only matters if they want to stay. That is not true. The quality of the employer’s response often determines whether you later have a strong claim for harassment, retaliation, or failure to prevent harassment.
In cases involving retaliation after reporting harassment in California, what happens during and after the investigation can be just as important as the original misconduct.
5 Things Employers Get Wrong About Sexual Harassment at Work Events in California
- “It was after hours, so it doesn’t count.”
Employer-sponsored events are treated as an extension of the workplace under California law. After hours and offsite does not mean off the hook. - “Alcohol changes the rules.”
It doesn’t. Alcohol is not a defense. In fact, it often increases employer risk when supervisors cross boundaries at company parties or conferences. - “We didn’t know, so we’re not responsible.”
Employers can be strictly liable for a supervisor’s harassment, even if senior leadership claims they were unaware of the conduct at the time. - “If we investigate, we’re protected.”
A delayed, biased, or superficial investigation can create additional liability. How an employer investigates matters just as much as whether it investigates. - “Nothing happened, so there’s no retaliation risk.”
Retaliation is independently illegal under California law. An employer can violate the law even if it disputes whether harassment occurred.
Frequently Asked Questions About Sexual Harassment at a Work Event in California
Is sexual harassment at a work event treated the same as harassment in the office under California law?
Yes. Sexual harassment at a work event in California is treated as workplace harassment under the Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA). Employer-sponsored events such as holiday parties, conferences, offsite retreats, client dinners, and team happy hours are considered extensions of the workplace. The fact that the event occurred after hours, offsite, or involved alcohol does not excuse inappropriate conduct or reduce the employer’s legal responsibility.
If you’re curious why wrongful termination lawsuits under the FEHA often backfire on employers, read my blog: Wrongful Termination Lawsuits Under the FEHA: A Costly Gamble for Employers.
My boss touched me at a work event. Does that automatically make it illegal?
When a boss touches you at a work event, the conduct is taken especially seriously under California law because of the power imbalance. Not every physical interaction is unlawful, but unwanted touching by a supervisor can constitute sexual harassment if it is sexual in nature or creates a hostile work environment. Employers may be strictly liable for a supervisor’s harassment, meaning the company can be responsible even if it claims it did not know about the conduct beforehand.
If harassment occurred at a company party, conference, or offsite event, read my blog: Workplace Events and Sexual Harassment in California.
Does it still count as workplace harassment if it happened at a company party or happy hour?
Yes. Workplace harassment at a company party in California is still workplace harassment if the event was employer-sponsored or connected to work. Courts and investigators focus on whether the event was tied to employment, not whether it felt “social.” Employers cannot avoid liability by labeling a holiday party or team outing as informal or optional.
If you are unsure whether what you experienced was legally serious enough to qualify, read my blog: Severe Versus Pervasive Sexual Harassment in California?
Do I have to report sexual harassment at a work event to HR for it to be protected?
You are not required to report harassment in a specific way, but reporting sexual harassment at a work event internally often triggers important legal protections. Reporting gives the employer notice and an opportunity to correct the problem. It also strengthens retaliation protections if your employer later punishes you for speaking up. If HR is involved in the incident or reporting feels unsafe, reporting to another designated manager may still qualify as protected activity.
If you want a deeper explanation of the differences between verbal and written workplace complaints, read my blog: How to Make a Workplace Complaint in California: Verbal versus Written.
What if my employer investigates but decides nothing happened?
An employer is allowed to investigate and reach a conclusion, but the quality of the investigation matters. A delayed, biased, or superficial investigation into sexual harassment at a work event in California can itself support a legal claim. Employers are required to conduct prompt, thorough, and impartial investigations. If the process minimizes the conduct, ignores evidence, or protects a supervisor, those failures become part of the legal analysis.
What if I experience retaliation after reporting harassment at a work event?
Retaliation after reporting harassment in California is independently illegal, even if the employer disputes whether harassment occurred. Retaliation can include termination, demotion, schedule changes, exclusion from meetings, sudden criticism, or pressure to “move on.” Many strong cases are built not only on what happened at the event, but on how the employer treated the employee afterward.
If you’re trying to figure out how to choose the right attorney for your case, read my guide: How Do I Select a California Employment Lawyer?
Final Thoughts on Sexual Harassment at a Work Event in California
Unwanted touching by a supervisor at a work event is not something you are expected to ignore, excuse, or blame on alcohol or celebration. California law places the burden on employers to prevent harassment and to respond appropriately when it occurs—no matter where the event takes place.
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.
