Montgomery County Workplace Harassment Lawyer

Workplace Harassment Lawyer, MD and DC

A workplace harassment lawyer helps you work out whether unwelcome conduct at work is unlawful harassment or a hostile work environment under federal, Maryland or District of Columbia law, and which agency and deadline apply to you. Federal law asks whether enduring the conduct became a condition of continued employment, or whether the conduct is severe or pervasive. Maryland and DC law both say harassment need not be severe or pervasive, so the standard depends on which law applies.

Sadiq Law Group handles workplace harassment matters in Montgomery County, MD and Washington, DC from its Gaithersburg office. Attorney Abbas S. Sadiq reviews what happened, who was involved, any reports you made and the dates, then explains your options in plain terms. This page is general legal information, not legal advice for your situation.

Call to Schedule Consultation +1-301-241-0110

Call to Schedule Consultation
+1-301-241-0110

Filing deadlines in harassment matters differ by agency and by law. Federal employees generally have 45 days to contact an EEO counselor at their agency.

What Counts as Unlawful Harassment

The EEOC describes harassment as unwelcome conduct based on a protected characteristic such as race, sex, religion, age (40 or older) or disability. It says offensive conduct may include, but is not limited to:

Offensive jokes, slurs, epithets or name calling.
Physical assaults or threats, and intimidation.
Ridicule or mockery, insults or put-downs.
Offensive objects or pictures.
Interference with work performance.

Sexual harassment includes unwelcome sexual advances and requests for sexual favors. The harasser can be a supervisor, a co-worker or a non-employee. Under federal law, petty slights, annoyances and isolated incidents, unless extremely serious, are not illegal. DC law says harassment may be found even when the conduct was a single incident.

How We Can Help

Each matter starts with the facts, the paperwork and the calendar. Here is what working with Sadiq Law Group on a workplace harassment matter usually involves.

Case Review

We start by learning what happened, how often and who was involved, then compare the facts with the laws that may apply. A review usually covers:

The conduct, when it happened and who saw it.

Messages, emails, photos and any reports you made.

Which laws and agencies cover your employer and your claim.

Common situations we review include:

Sexual harassment

Harassment by a supervisor

Harassment by co-workers

Harassment by customers or clients

Slurs or offensive jokes

Threats or intimidation

Internal Reports

The EEOC says employees should report harassment to management at an early stage to keep it from escalating. We help you make or follow up on a report, which may involve:

Your employer’s written complaint procedure

A written report to human resources or management

A record of how your employer responded

Concerns about retaliation after you report

Agency Complaints

Under federal law, you must file a charge with the EEOC before you can file a harassment lawsuit. Maryland’s law covers employers with one or more employees when the complaint alleges harassment.

We help prepare and file complaints with:

U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)

Maryland Commission on Civil Rights (MCCR)

District of Columbia Office of Human Rights (OHR)

Federal agency EEO offices, for federal employees

Negotiation and Court

Federal employees follow a separate process that starts with an EEO counselor at their agency. Other claims may be resolved through mediation or settlement, or move to court once the agency steps the law requires are complete.

Our services include:

Preparing you for mediation sessions

Reviewing any settlement or severance terms offered

Guiding federal employees through EEO counseling

Representing clients in court when a lawsuit is the next step

Harassment Deadlines in Maryland and DC

Each agency has its own time limit. For ongoing harassment, the EEOC counts its deadline from the last incident and looks at all incidents when it investigates. Missing a deadline can end a claim, so check your dates early.

EEOC

180 calendar days from the last incident of harassment, or 300 where a state or local agency enforces a law on the same basis.

Maryland (MCCR)

2 years after the alleged harassment to file a harassment complaint.

Washington, DC (OHR)

One year from the act, or from its discovery, to file with the office.

Federal Employees

Generally 45 days to contact an EEO counselor at your agency.

Workplace Harassment FAQ

What is a hostile work environment?

Under federal law, harassment becomes unlawful when enduring the offensive conduct becomes a condition of continued employment, or when the conduct is severe or pervasive enough to create a work environment that a reasonable person would consider intimidating, hostile or abusive. Harassment under these laws is conduct based on a protected characteristic such as race, sex, religion, national origin, age (40 or older) or disability. See the EEOC’s harassment page.

Does harassment have to be severe or pervasive?

Federal law looks at whether the conduct is severe or pervasive, or whether enduring it became a condition of continued employment. Maryland’s definition of harassment includes unwelcome and offensive conduct, based on a protected characteristic, that need not be severe or pervasive, such as conduct that, based on the totality of the circumstances, unreasonably creates a working environment a reasonable person would perceive to be abusive or hostile. The DC Human Rights Act also says conduct need not be severe or pervasive and that no specific number of incidents is required.

How long do I have to file a harassment complaint?

It depends on the agency. For harassment, an EEOC charge must be filed within 180 calendar days of the last incident, extended to 300 calendar days where a state or local agency enforces a law that prohibits employment discrimination on the same basis. A harassment complaint to the Maryland Commission on Civil Rights must be filed within 2 years. A complaint to the DC Office of Human Rights must be filed within one year of the act or its discovery. Federal employees generally must contact an EEO counselor within 45 days.

Is my employer liable for harassment by a supervisor or co-worker?

It can be. According to the EEOC, an employer is automatically liable for harassment by a supervisor that results in a negative employment action. If a supervisor’s harassment results in a hostile work environment, the employer can avoid liability only if it can prove that it reasonably tried to prevent and promptly correct the harassing behavior, and that the employee unreasonably failed to take advantage of the preventive or corrective opportunities it provided. For harassment by non-supervisory employees, or by non-employees the employer has control over, such as independent contractors or customers on the premises, the employer will be liable if it knew, or should have known, about the harassment and failed to take prompt and appropriate corrective action.

Does my employer have to be a certain size?

It depends on the law. Federal law covers employers with 15 or more employees for most claims and 20 or more for age claims, counting employees who worked for the employer for at least twenty calendar weeks in this year or last. Maryland’s law applies to employers with one or more employees when the complaint alleges harassment. The DC Human Rights Act defines an employer as any person who, for compensation, employs an individual, without stating a minimum number of employees, and its definition of an employee includes unpaid interns and independent contractors.

Last updated November 12, 2026. This page is general legal information, not legal advice.

Talk With a Workplace Harassment Lawyer in Gaithersburg

If you are dealing with harassment at work, write down dates, names, what was said or done and who saw it, and keep copies of messages and any reports you made. Sadiq Law Group meets with clients at 555 Quince Orchard Road, Suite 280, Gaithersburg, MD 20878.

Call 301-241-0110 to schedule a consultation, or read more about our Employment practice, EEOC claims and Employment Investigations.