What types of conduct have been found to be sexual harassment?
Sexual harassment is far broader than a threat along the lines of: "If you want to keep your job, you’ll have to go to bed with me." Supervisors, co-employees, or even customers and vendors can sexually harass an employee. Courts and agencies — after considering all of the circumstances in the particular cases — have variously found the following types of conduct to be illegal sexual harassment:
- Repeated sexual innuendo, obscene or off-color jokes, slurs, lewd remarks and language, and other offensive sexual comments;
- Content in letters and notes, facsimiles, e-mail, graffiti that is of a sexual nature or sexually abusive;
- Sexual propositions, insults, and threats;
- Sexually-oriented demeaning names;
- Persistent unwanted sexual or romantic overtures or attention;
- Leering, whistling, or other sexually suggestive sounds or gestures;
- Displaying pornographic pictures, calendars, cartoons, or other sexual material in the workplace;
- Coerced or unwelcome touching, patting, brushing up against, pinching, kissing, stroking, massaging, squeezing, fondling, or tickling;
- Subtle or overt pressure for sexual favors;
- Coerced sexual intercourse (e.g., as a condition of employment or academic status).
If you have experienced any of this behavior on the job, consider seeking legal help to find out whether you may have a case for sexual harassment.