Sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination that violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.  The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) defines sexual harassment in the workplace as unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature that explicitly or implicitly affects an individual’s employment, unreasonably interferes with an individual’s work performance, or creates a hostile work environment.

 

There are generally two types of sexual harassment in employment situations. 

 

The first is known as quid pro quo.  Quid pro quo translates to “something for something.” It is when a term of employment is conditioned on submitting to unwanted sexual advances.  A common example would be when your boss requires you to sleep with him or her in order to receive a promotion.

 

The second is known as hostile work environment.  This occurs when an employee is subjected to unwanted harassing conduct because of sex, gender, and/or gender expression. The harassment must be so severe or pervasive such that any reasonable person in the victim’s position would have considered the work environment to be hostile or abusive.  If you are suffering from such behavior, then call Erie PA's sexual harassment law group, the Solymosi Law Group, and we will help you through this difficult situation.