It is unlawful to harass a person (an
applicant or employee) because of that
person’s sex. Harassment can include
“sexual harassment” or unwelcome sexual
advances, requests for sexual favors, and
other verbal or physical harassment of a
sexual nature.
Harassment does not have to be of a
sexual nature, however, it can include
oensive remarks about a person’s sex.
For example, it is illegal to harass a woman
by making oensive comments about
women in general. Both the vicm and
the harasser can be either a woman or a
man, and the vicm and harasser can be
the same sex.
Although the law doesn’t prohibit simple
teasing, oand comments, or isolated
incidents that are not very serious,
harassment is illegal when it is so frequent
or severe that it creates a hosle or
oensive work environment or when it
results in an adverse employment decision
(such as the vicm being red or
demoted). The harasser can be a vicm’s
supervisor, a supervisor in another area, a
co-worker, or someone who is not an
employee of the employer, such as a
client or customer.
A vicm of harassment need not always
confront her harasser directly so long as
her conduct demonstrates the harasser’s
behavior is unwelcome.
Prevenon is the best tool to eliminate
harassment in the workplace. Employers are
encouraged to take appropriate steps to
prevent and correct unlawful harassment.
Managers should clearly communicate to
employees that unwelcomed harassing
conduct will not be tolerated. They can do
this by supporng the use of the established
complaint or grievance processes, providing
an-harassment training to their supervisors
and employees, and taking immediate and
appropriate acon when an employee
complains.
Employers should strive to create an
environment in which employees feel free to
raise concerns and are condent that those
concerns will be addressed. Employees are
encouraged to inform the harasser directly
that the conduct is unwelcome and must
stop. Employees should also report
harassment to management at an early
stage to prevent its escalaon.
If you have been subjected to workplace
harassment or any other form of unlawful
harassment, you must rst nofy your
supervisor immediately or contact the Equal
Employment Opportunity Oce at any of
the numbers located at the back of this
trifold.
Sexual harassment is not limited to making
inappropriate advances; it may include any
unwelcome verbal or physical behavior that
creates a hosle work environment such as:
sharing sexually inappropriate images or
videos, sending suggesve leers, notes, or
emails, displaying inappropriate sexual
images or posters in the workplace, telling
lewd jokes, making inappropriate sexual
gestures or comments, whistling, making
sexual comments about appearance,
clothing or body parts, inappropriate
touching, asking sexual quesons such as
quesons about someone’s sexual history or
their sexual orientaon, and making
oensive comments about someone’s sexual
orientaon or gender identy.
These are just some examples of sexual
harassment. Any acon that creates a
sexual hosle environment is considered
sexual harassment, and the vicm of the
harassment may not be just the target of the
oense, but anyone who is aected by the
appropriate behavior.
Non-sexual harassment is not limited to
these examples, it includes any comment,
acon, or type of behavior that is
threatening, insulng, inmidang, or
discriminatory and upsets the workplace
environment. Other acons regarding
religion, race, age, gender, or skin color can
also be considered harassment if they
interfere with an employee’s success or
conjure a hosle work environment.