Most employees are aware that sexual harassment on the job is illegal and unacceptable. They probably had to complete training about harassment after accepting the new job. However, many professionals struggle to define sexual harassment.
Some people think that any flirting at work constitutes harassment. Others assume that incidents have to be relatively severe to meet the legal definition of workplace sexual harassment. Professionals working in just about any career could face sexual harassment. Both male and female employees are vulnerable to harassment from coworkers or supervisors of the same sex or the opposite sex.
Most sexual harassment falls into one of two categories, and workers who understand those categories can better assert their right to a harassment-free workplace. What circumstances constitute sexual harassment?
Quid pro quo sexual harassment
Many cases of sexual harassment involve quid pro quo harassment. Someone in a position of authority, such as a manager or business owner, uses a worker’s ambitions to secure sexual favors.
Quid pro quo harassment might involve offering a promotion or raise in exchange for physical intimacy or a date. Quid pro quo harassment can also entail threatening employees with workplace punishments for declining private requests for physical intimacy.
A hostile work environment
Sexual harassment can come from subordinates or peers in the workplace. One coworker or a group of other employees could create a hostile work environment.
By verbally abusing, socially isolating and otherwise blatantly mistreating one employee, people can create a very dangerous and demoralizing work environment. If outside parties might hear about the situation and agree that accepting abuse is a requirement for keeping the job, then the mistreated worker might be able to claim that they experienced a hostile work environment.
Hostile work environments can involve employees of the same sex or the opposite sex. They can arise due to the efforts of one person with a grudge or a group of people acting together to target one specific employee or a small group of workers.
Those hoping to fight back against workplace sexual harassment often need documentation and professional legal advocacy. Reviewing workplace experiences with a skilled legal team can help frustrated professionals explore their options and demand changes in the workplace or compensation for the harm they’ve experienced.
