Sexual Harassment in the Workplace
Jordan Fuller
Randall Erikson
BUS 365
14 November 2012
Sexual Harassment in the Workplace Sexual harassment can occur anywhere, especially in the workplace. In fact, approximately 15,000 sexual harassment cases are brought to the attention of the Equal Opportunity Employment Commission (EEOC) each year. (Risman) This does not include actions brought privately by sexual harassment attorneys. This type of harassment is not only damaging to the victim and the harasser, but also to the organization involved and could potentially cost them a lot of money. Sexual harassment is not only unethical; it is illegal. Managers and other individuals of authority are ethically obligated to ensure that they, their coworkers and their subordinates never engage in this type of conduct, even unintentionally. Victims of sexual harassment can be both men and women, and their harassers do not have to be of the opposite sex. However, women are the most frequent victims of sexual harassment. Women who are employed in male-dominated occupations or positions stereotypically associated with certain gender relationships, such as a female secretary reporting to a male boss, are more likely to be sexually harassed. “Of the 607 women surveyed by the National Association for Female Executives, 60% indicated that they had experienced some form of sexual harassment.” (Jones, George 169) According to the EEOC’s website, sexual harassment is described as “unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature constitutes sexual harassment and when this conduct explicitly and implicitly affects an individual’s employment, unreasonably interferes with an individual’s work performance or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment.” Under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, there are two types of sexual harassment: hostile working environment and quid pro quo. Hostile working environment sexual harassment consists of
Randall Erikson
BUS 365
14 November 2012
Sexual Harassment in the Workplace Sexual harassment can occur anywhere, especially in the workplace. In fact, approximately 15,000 sexual harassment cases are brought to the attention of the Equal Opportunity Employment Commission (EEOC) each year. (Risman) This does not include actions brought privately by sexual harassment attorneys. This type of harassment is not only damaging to the victim and the harasser, but also to the organization involved and could potentially cost them a lot of money. Sexual harassment is not only unethical; it is illegal. Managers and other individuals of authority are ethically obligated to ensure that they, their coworkers and their subordinates never engage in this type of conduct, even unintentionally. Victims of sexual harassment can be both men and women, and their harassers do not have to be of the opposite sex. However, women are the most frequent victims of sexual harassment. Women who are employed in male-dominated occupations or positions stereotypically associated with certain gender relationships, such as a female secretary reporting to a male boss, are more likely to be sexually harassed. “Of the 607 women surveyed by the National Association for Female Executives, 60% indicated that they had experienced some form of sexual harassment.” (Jones, George 169) According to the EEOC’s website, sexual harassment is described as “unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature constitutes sexual harassment and when this conduct explicitly and implicitly affects an individual’s employment, unreasonably interferes with an individual’s work performance or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment.” Under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, there are two types of sexual harassment: hostile working environment and quid pro quo. Hostile working environment sexual harassment consists of
Cited: Henson v. City of Dundee, 682 F.2d 897 (11th Cir. 1982). "Respondeat Superior." TheFreeDictionary.com. Farlex, n.d. Web. 14 Nov. 2012. (2012): n. pag. Law Offices of Maya Risman, P.C. 19 Jan. 2012. Web. 14 Nov.