Sexual harassment can occur between any combination of genders and includes unwelcome sexual advances, requests for favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature. There are two main types of sexual harassment: quid pro quo, where sexual favors are required for job benefits, and hostile work environment, where unwelcome sexual conduct creates an intimidating workplace. Employers can be held liable for sexual harassment committed by employees if they knew or should have known about it but did not take immediate corrective action. An employer should establish policies against sexual harassment, provide training, investigate claims confidentially, form committees to handle complaints, and monitor for unreported instances.

1. Jean Schifferer
11/30/11
MGT 210
Sexual Harassment
What is sexual harassment? Sexual harassment is the unwelcome sexual
advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical contact of a sexual
nature. There is a stereotype that sexual harassment can only occur from man to
woman, but that statement would be incorrect. Sexual harassment can be directed from
a man to a woman, woman to a man, a woman to a woman or a man to a man. Sexual
harassment in the workplace is a long standing problem affecting a large percentage of
workers.
Sexual harassment is divided in two groups, quid pro quo and hostile
environment. Quid pro quo is a form of sexual harassment in which the victims are
required to provide sexual favors in order to be hired, promoted, granted a pay raise or
allowed to keep their job. Quid pro quo is a “this for that” scenario (i.e. if you do this for

2. me, then I will do that for you). The second form is Hostile Environment which is a form
of sexual harassment in which the victims are subjected to unwelcome, hostile, and
intimidating working conditions (i.e. pictures of nude women openly displayed).
An employer would be liable for unlawful sex discrimination under the following
conditions; (1) an employment opportunity is granted because of a candidate’s
submission to an employer’s request for sexual favors, or (2) an employment
opportunity is withheld because of the candidate’s refusal to grant such favors. An
employer can be held responsible for acts of sexual harassment committed by its
employees in two instances; (1) An employer is held responsible for the acts of its
agents and supervisory employees with respect to sexual harassment regardless of
whether the employer knows or should have known of the occurrence and (2) The
employer is responsible for the acts of sexual harassment committed by coworkers if
the employer knows or should have known of the conduct, unless it can show that it
took immediate and appropriate action.
An employer should deal with sexual harassment in these five steps:

3. 1. Establish a written sexual harassment policy.
2. Provide supervisory training that focuses on the legal definition of sexual
harassment.
3. Establish investigative guidelines that maintain employee confidentiality.
4. Establish a committee composed of both men and womento investigate
sexual harassment claims.
5. Establish a means of detecting unreported instances of sexual harassment
within the company.
Sexual harassment is no laughing matter and everyone needs to be conscience of how
their actions and words affect others around them.