Workplace sexual harassment is illegal, and employees need to know what protections and rights they have. They should not be subjected to harassment from coworkers, supervisors, employers or even customers.
One important thing to consider is simply how sexual harassment takes place. Below are three examples to keep in mind:
Physical harassment
In some cases, the harassment is physical, such as when there is unwanted touching. This does not have to be explicitly sexual, as long as it is something that the employee does not want.
For instance, say that a manager always puts their hands on a subordinate’s shoulders while talking to her as she sits at her desk. This may not be overly sexual, but it can still make the employee uncomfortable and should not continue.
Verbal harassment
Sexual harassment can also be verbal, such as when jokes are made at a person’s expense. If these are lewd jokes of a sexual nature or they focus on details like someone’s gender, then they are a form of harassment, even if no physical contact is ever made. Insults are also a form of verbal harassment.
Hostile work environment
Finally, a hostile work environment can sometimes be created even when an employee is not specifically targeted. For example, a female employee may feel uncomfortable in a male-dominated workplace if the men in that office make disparaging remarks about women in general.
Seeking legal recourse
These are just a few examples of the many ways that sexual harassment could potentially occur. Employees who have experienced this need to know exactly what legal steps to take.