What are my rights against workplace harassment in Florida?

1. Federal Floor. Title VII (15+ employees) prohibits harassment based on protected characteristics. Meritor Savings Bank v. Vinson, 477 U.S. 57 (1986), recognized hostile-work-environment claims under federal law.

2. State Statute & Agency. The Florida Civil Rights Act of 1992 (FCRA), Fla. Stat. § 760.01 et seq., is enforced by the Florida Commission on Human Relations (FCHR). The FCRA covers employers with 15 or more employees, mirroring Title VII's threshold.

3. Standard for Hostile Work Environment. Florida tracks the federal "severe or pervasive" standard from Harris v. Forklift Systems, 510 U.S. 17 (1993). Florida has not lowered this threshold legislatively.

4. Protected Categories. Fla. Stat. § 760.10 lists race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, age, handicap, and marital status. Florida does not protect sexual orientation or gender identity at the state level, though Bostock v. Clayton County, 590 U.S. 644 (2020), and FCHR guidance bring those within "sex."

5. Quid Pro Quo vs Hostile Environment. Florida courts follow Faragher v. City of Boca Raton, 524 U.S. 775 (1998) (notably a Florida case), and Burlington v. Ellerth: tangible employment action triggers strict employer liability.

6. Employer Liability. Strict liability for supervisor harassment with tangible action; Faragher/Ellerth affirmative defense available for hostile environment without action.

7. Mandatory Training. Florida has no statewide sexual-harassment training requirement for private employers.

8. Filing Deadline. EEOC: 300 days. FCHR: 365 days (Fla. Stat. § 760.11(1)). After 180 days at FCHR without action, you may sue in court.

9. NDA Restrictions. Florida has not enacted a broad NDA ban for sexual-harassment settlements. HB 1521 (2024) limits certain school-related NDAs, but private-sector confidentiality remains generally enforceable.

This is legal information, not legal advice.