Seven Signs of Sexual Harassment

Whether you are a business owner or an employee, you may need to deal with the issue of sexual harassment. This kind of behavior can result in a toxic work environment that can make it harder for employees to do their jobs, and potentially result in serious legal liability for employers. Here are seven potential signs of sexual harassment in the workplace that you should be wary of:

• Use of inappropriate language or humor

1. 1. • One of the most common forms of sexual harassment comes from people using inappropriate language, or making sexual jokes at the expense of other workers. This kind of language can make people uncomfortable, and is potentially a sign that worse conduct may be happening.

• Lack of respect for personal space

1. 1. • Another potential sign of sexual harassment comes from workers who refuse to respect other people’s personal space. They may get uncomfortably close to other people, particularly those of the opposite sex, and refuse to back off when told how they are making others feel.

• Inappropriate physical contact

1. 1. • The next step beyond violating personal space is engaging in unwanted physical contact, such as hugging, kissing, or groping. This kind of behavior can become deeply uncomfortable for victims, making it difficult or impossible for them to work with people who refuse to keep their hands to themselves.

• Spreading false or demeaning rumors

1. 1. • Another form of sexual harassment you may witness is when someone spreads false or demeaning rumors about another person, particularly rumors relating to their romantic or sexual life. These rumors can be potentially demeaning and damage a worker’s reputation in the eyes of their coworkers.

• Sharing graphic images or videos

1. 1. • Sexual harassment may also manifest as someone sharing inappropriate images or videos with their coworkers. These types of media are generally not appropriate in any work context, and can make coworkers uncomfortable to work with that person.

• Demanding romantic or sexual favors

1. 1. • A more blatant form of sexual harassment comes from people who demand romantic or sexual favors from their coworkers or subordinates. This can range from requiring an employee to go out on a date, to attempting to coerce them into having sex in exchange for a raise, promotion, or simply to avoid getting fired.

• Retaliating against reports of sexual harassment

1. • Finally, laws that protect against sexual harassment also protect people who report harassment that occurs in the workplace, whether or not they were the original victim. This is to prevent employers from trying to silence people who speak out about inappropriate workplace conduct.

If you have an employment issue, give the Law Office of Andrew Ross Sack a call. Andrew Ross Sack is a New York and New Jersey employment lawyer who has considerable experience in handling the many aspects of labor and employment law. To schedule a consultation with New York City/Long Island/Westchester employment lawyer Andrew Ross Sack, call (516) 526-3319 or visit his contact page.