Sexual Harassment An Age Old Problem Meets the 21st Century
What is sexual harassment? Has sexual harassment changed? Is sexual harassment still a problem in the work force today? Can a company prevent sexual harassment? What is a company’s responsibility to their employees and the liability for sexual harassment? Sexual harassment is an age old problem and as we enter the 21st century we can see how it has continued to grow throughout the years and the new problems companies are facing for the future. What is sexual harassment? Sexual harassment, according to the U. ... Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, is an act of sexual discrimination that violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Katz). Although the law recognizes two forms of sexual harassment, quid pro quo and a hostile work environment, the definition is not easily explainable for what it truly is. Quid pro quo is the “bargained-for sexual harassment” (HRS). This definition covers sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and anything that might suggest an employee advance in return for sexual favors. The hostile work environment is “created by a supervisor when the workplace is permeated with discriminating intimidation, ridicule, and insult that are sufficiently severe or pervasive to render an employer liable” (Sexual). Sexual harassment comes in other forms as well. The Bennett Law Group issued an article categorizing sexual harassment into four areas: verbal harassment, physical harassment, visual harassment and sexual favors (Bennett). Bennett provides examples of these four categories; however, it is to be noted that they are not limited to these examples only: • Verbal harassment includes, name calling, sexually explicit jokes, and comments about and employee’s dress or body. • Physical harassment includes any type of touching, poking, pinching, or assault. • Visual harassment would include displaying sexual pictures, writings, and sexually oriented gestures. • Sexual favors would be considered as requesting a date, unwanted sexual advances, threat of demotion or termination (Bennett). Although sexual harassment has such a vague definition, it really comes down to what is offensive to the individual. ... Could this be a contributing factor to why sexual harassment is an ongoing problem even in today’s workforce? The EEOC published that 14,396 cases of sexual harassment had been reported in 2002.