Should my employer protect me from non-employee sex harassment at work?

during his ministry.

In moments of doubt, God wants us to hang on to our faith in Him. He urges us to keep navigating through life’s fierceness, turbulence, challenges, and uncertainties with our eyes fixed on Jesus, His Son. In these moments, our faith can be tested and strengthened.

So, let’s not allow fear to consume us. Let’s always cry out to Jesus to seek His help and surrender our fears and doubts. Let’s turn to the power of prayer in which Jesus extends His loving hand to lift us.

May this Sunday’s Gospel inspire us to find God in all things, seek Him in prayer, trust in His presence, and be transformed by His grace. Amen.

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The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff.

* * * Fr. Rodel “Odey” Balagtas is the pastor of Incarnation Church in Glendale, California.

Mark Leviste breaks silence over rumored US wedding with Kris Aquino

MANILA — Social media users were puzzled if Kris Aquino and Mark Leviste got married in the U.S. after the Batangas vice governor commented on the “Queen of All Media’s” post.

In Kris’ health update on Instagram, Mark commented a marriage vow.

“Kids and I will always be by your side…for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish FORVER,” Mark wrote.

“Super kakilig naman,” an Instagram user wrote.

“I hate cutting onions, it makes me cry. Love conquers all just hang in there,” another commented.

An Instagram user then asked Mark if it is true that he is still married with another woman.

“Annuled po,” Mark replied.

In an interview with showbiz columnist and TV host Butch Francisco uploaded on YouTube three days ago, Mark stressed that he was already a solo parent and officially single when he met Kris, and was still “single” at the time of the interview.

Kris announced on Thursday, August 10 some good news to her fans that her health is improving.

She said that her last blood panel showed improvement.

“Thank you because our prayers are being

Mark Leviste and Kris Aquino. Mark Leviste via Twitter answered – my last blood panel showed improvement – it’s slow progress, I have a long way to go,” she said.

Kris said that her doctors praised her for enduring the pain.

“She calls me a ‘bad-ass’ because kinakaya ko even though malapot at mahapdi ‘yung ini-inject at malalim kailangan ibaon ‘yung prefilled high tech syringe. Yes, matapang na ko sa halos lahat ng kailangan pagdaanan at mataas ang pain tolerance ko,” she said. (by Jan Milo Severo/Philstar.com) n

Employers’ duty to prevent discrimination

Protecting Employee & Consumer Rights

atty. C. Joe sayas, JR

Q: I FEEL I am being harassed at work and my manager is not doing enough to stop it. My manager is calling asking me to come back, but I’m afraid I will have a mental breakdown if I do. I work in a residential rehab facility. One of the patients keeps asking me to be his girlfriend. I tried to ignore his advances, but it just made him more vulgar and aggressive. I feel scared of what he might do.

I complained to my manager, and asked about the sexual harassment policy they talked about at training. She told me that was company policy for employees, but that she can’t really do anything about patients’ behavior. I feel like I’m in danger at work and my employer won’t do anything until something bad happens to me. Is that really the law?

A: No, the law requires far more than what your employer said to you. Under California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act (“FEHA”), workplace harassment is unlawful if it is based on “race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, sexual orientation, or veteran or military status.”

California Government Code §12940(j)(1). Sexual harassment is considered unlawful harassment based on sex. California Government Code § 12940(j)(4)(C)

Contrary to what your manager told you, an employer’s obligation to maintain a workplace free of unlawful harassment is not limited to only harassment committed by the employer’s own employees. Rather, FEHA emphasizes that “[a] n employer may also be responsible for the acts of nonemployees, with respect to harassment of employees…if the employer, or its agents, or supervisors, knows or should have known of the conduct and fails to take immediate and appropriate corrective action. California Government Code § 12940(j)(1)

The California Supreme Court confirmed this affirmative obligation of employers in Carter v. California Department of Veterans Affairs, a case with facts very similar to yours. In Carter, a nurse was being sexually harassed by a tenant resident in a California VA facility. The Court agreed with the plaintiff there that FEHA imposes liability on an employer when its customers or clients sexually harassed its employees.

Under FEHA, employers have an obligation to take immediate and appropriate corrective action if its customers or clients unlawfully harasses employees based on “race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, sexual orientation, or veteran or military status.” California Government Code § 12940(j)(1)

* * * The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff.

* * * The Law Offices of C. Joe Sayas, Jr. welcomes inquiries about this topic. All inquiries are confidential and at no-cost. You can contact the office at (818) 291-0088 or visit www.joesayaslaw.com. [For more than 25 years, C. Joe Sayas, Jr., Esq. successfully recovered wages and other monetary damages for thousands of employees and consumers. He was named Top Labor & Employment Attorney in California by the Daily Journal, consistently selected as Super Lawyer by the Los Angeles Magazine, and is a past Presidential Awardee for Outstanding Filipino Overseas.] (Advertising Supplement)