Case Analysis
Harassment in the Work Place
Equal Rights Publication ERD-7334-PWEB
PDF versions of this publication. Follow this link to obtain the Free PDF Reader.
In English
In Spanish
Note:
The links (bookmarks) in the Table of Contents take you to that section in this Publication.
The links in the Text take you to either a page in our website, a section in the Wisconsin Statutes or a section in the Wisconsin Administrative Code.
Table of contents
1. What is the Legal Definition?
2. When is conduct unwelcome?
3. What forms does sexual harassment take?
4. Important Facts about Harassment
5. How can management respond to harassment concerns?
6. Who is liable for harassment?
7. What are the Consequences?
8. When in doubt about Sexual Harassment!!
Questions about employment discrimination.
1. What is the Legal Definition?
Under the Fair Employment Law harassment in the workplace may be illegal under two circumstances. The first is when an employer, supervisor or co-worker singles a person out for harassment because of that person’s race, color, creed, ancestry, national origin, age (40 and up), disability, sex, arrest or conviction record, marital status, sexual orientation or military services. The second situation is when thecontent of the harassment itself relates directly to any of these protected characteristics (i.e. sexual harassment, use of derogatory ethnic or religious terms, age or disability related comments, etc.)
It is important to note that the Fair Employment Law only prohibits harassment in the circumstances described above. There is no general prohibition against harassment. An employer who harasses an employee because of a personal dislike, for example, or who harasses employees in general is not violating the Fair Employment Law, no matter how abusive or hostile the environment might be.
Harassment may include verbal abuse, epithets, sexually explicit or derogatory language, display of offensive cartoons or materials, mimicry, lewd or
Equal Rights Publication ERD-7334-PWEB
PDF versions of this publication. Follow this link to obtain the Free PDF Reader.
In English
In Spanish
Note:
The links (bookmarks) in the Table of Contents take you to that section in this Publication.
The links in the Text take you to either a page in our website, a section in the Wisconsin Statutes or a section in the Wisconsin Administrative Code.
Table of contents
1. What is the Legal Definition?
2. When is conduct unwelcome?
3. What forms does sexual harassment take?
4. Important Facts about Harassment
5. How can management respond to harassment concerns?
6. Who is liable for harassment?
7. What are the Consequences?
8. When in doubt about Sexual Harassment!!
Questions about employment discrimination.
1. What is the Legal Definition?
Under the Fair Employment Law harassment in the workplace may be illegal under two circumstances. The first is when an employer, supervisor or co-worker singles a person out for harassment because of that person’s race, color, creed, ancestry, national origin, age (40 and up), disability, sex, arrest or conviction record, marital status, sexual orientation or military services. The second situation is when thecontent of the harassment itself relates directly to any of these protected characteristics (i.e. sexual harassment, use of derogatory ethnic or religious terms, age or disability related comments, etc.)
It is important to note that the Fair Employment Law only prohibits harassment in the circumstances described above. There is no general prohibition against harassment. An employer who harasses an employee because of a personal dislike, for example, or who harasses employees in general is not violating the Fair Employment Law, no matter how abusive or hostile the environment might be.
Harassment may include verbal abuse, epithets, sexually explicit or derogatory language, display of offensive cartoons or materials, mimicry, lewd or