The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, or the EEOC, strives to make sure that all workers have the same fair treatment in the workplace. One thing that they monitor is the presence of sexual harassment. Though illegal in the workplace, it does still happen.
To put an end to it, one must understand how and why it takes place. To that end, here are 5 facts from the EEOC about sexual harassment:
- The conduct has to be unwelcome and unwanted by the victim.
- Gender makes no difference. Men and women can be both victims and harassers, and it does not always happen between opposite-sex workers.
- Even if the victim does not get fired or suffer a clear economic injury, the conduct may still be illegal.
- Someone who is not directly getting harassed could still be a victim. For instance, they may just witness offensive conduct from afar and feel they have a hostile workplace.
- Harassers are often supervisors, but not always. They can also be co-workers, nonemployees, agents of the company, supervisors in another department or co-workers from another department.
In short, sexual harassment can take on a lot of different forms and involve many different people. It is very important to understand that every case does not look the same. They are all unique and must be given equal weight.
Have you been harassed in the workplace? Do you have to put up with illegal actions that make you feel like you have a hostile atmosphere on the job? If so, you absolutely need to know about all of the legal options you have.
