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Apr 5, 2016
SkillPath Staff
In today’s world, protecting yourself and your company from lawsuits is one of the most important things any organization can do. But to protect yourself, you first have to know what exactly constitutes harassment.
Unlawful harassment is a form of discrimination. Discrimination is treating people differently based upon their protected class status. There are two kinds of unlawful harassment: Quid pro quo and hostile work environment. Harassment is designed to hurt someone else because of a disparity in power.
Quid pro quo harassment is defined as:
Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature constitute sexual harassment when
Hostile work environment harassment is defined as:
Unlawful harassment is not merely unkind or disrespectful behavior — it must meet the elements outlined above.
Individual Liability
In addition to organizational liability under Title VII as amended by the Civil Rights Act of 1991, which creates increased damages when there is intentional behavior involved, under state law, courts have held supervisors and coworkers liable for:
Talking about harassment is by definition talking about things that are very personal. It’s understandable that you may be concerned about discussing personal things with a supervisor. But in order to protect yourself from harassment, and maybe protect others who might have experienced the same kind of treatment, you need to be responsible and step forward. Everyone is responsible for creating a cooperative and productive work environment. Report problems quickly!
SkillPath Staff
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