The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) defines sexual harassment as unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other sexual actions that lead to a hostile or offensive work environment.
Types of Sexual Harassment
Sexual harassment comes in many different forms. Some common types of sexual harassment are:
- Inappropriate touching
- Sexual jokes
- Sexual advances
- Requests for sexual favors
- Exposure to pornography
- Sexual assault in the workplace
- Physical endangerment in the workplace because of gender
- Exposure to graphic sexual discussion or verbal abuse
- Sabotage of one’s work by another
According to the EEOC definition, sexual harassment is sex discrimination that takes place in a work environment. Behavior is classified as sexual harassment if it negatively impacts employment or performance, or if it creates a hostile or offensive environment for you or other employees. However, these actions do not have to occur in the workplace for them to be considered sexual harassment. Indeed, sexual harassment can happen in any number of places. It is simply most common in work environments.
“Unwanted” is the key term in sexual harassment cases. Most claims are based on the victim’s feelings and interpretations. One person may find something offensive or sexual, while another might not. Regardless, if a person feels violated in one of the ways described above, a sexual harassment case is likely to ensue.
Minneapolis Sexual Harassment Attorney
The most common form of sexual harassment involves a man harassing a woman, though this is not the only type. Sexual harassment can be committed by employees of both genders against other employees of the same sex or the opposite sex.
Sexual harassment claims usually come in two forms:
- Quid pro quo
- Hostile work environment
A quid pro quo (“this for that”) case occurs when a person is forced to submit to sexual harassment in order to keep their job or attain a promotion or bonus. Under a hostile work environment claim, a person must be sexually harassed on a regular basis at work. The employer is often liable in these cases.
Sexual harassment charges are very serious and can lead to job termination as well as fines and jail time. Meeting with a Minnesota sexual harassment attorney is your best bet for a successful defense.
