Amanda Pirutti
Sociology of Gender
November 2015
SEXUAL HARASSMENT IN THE WORKPLACE
Sexual harassment is any form of unprecedented sexual conduct in which the offender uses inappropriate language and actions that humiliate the sexuality of the offended. At workplaces, sexual harassment occurs when stakeholders of an organization engage in unwelcomed conducts of sexual nature, which makes the recipients (of the conduct) intimidated and uncomfortable. As Solotoff and Kramer (2014: 67) assert, sexual harassment is a widespread practice in the American workplace, and is more prevalent among women than men. This is evident from statistics that about 25% of women have experienced sexual harassment at workplaces (Solotoff & Kramer 2014: 68).
Sexual harassment at workplaces does range from derogatory comments, uncalled-for sexual advances, threats relating to sexual assault, to the act of rape. The prevalence of sexual harassment in workplaces, especially from supervisors and/or managers to their juniors, is on a constant rise because such employees (the offended) do fear to lose their jobs in case they decline the unwanted sexual advances from their bosses (Achampong 1999: 27). However, it is unacceptable that employees be subjected to sexual harassment from their seniors just because they risk losing the jobs they value most.
Usually, sexual harassment takes place in form of physical assaults such as inappropriate touching of workers’ bodies; verbal, where workers make
Sexual harassment is always a legal topic in the work environment because the ramifications are so severe, but at the same time very abstract to describe what can constitute sexual harassment. This paper will take into consideration different elements of the law including Employment Law and cases tried before the U.S. Supreme Court. It will also offer suggestions for corrective action pertaining to the issue of sexual harassment in the workplace.
Sexual Harassment is when someone makes unwelcome sexual advances, displays verbal or physical conduct, and make requests for sexual favors. For example, when David
Our textbook defines sexual harassment, also known as gender harassment, as “Lewd remarks, touching, intimidation, posting of indecent materials, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature that occurs on the job” (pg. 552). AAUW describes sexual harassment as a general description of unwanted sexual advances, request for sexual favors, or other verbal/physical conduct of any sexual nature. Even with Title VII’s protections, numerous people throughout the country still experience sexual harassment in the workplace. We can look at the Waldo v. Consumer Energy Company federal court case, found on page 552, as an example of sexual harassment at work and the consequences associated with the
In the book, sexual harassment is described as unwelcome sexual attention, whether verbal or physical, that affects an employee’s job condition or creates a hostile working environment. There are many types of sexual harassment such as unwanted sexual advances, coercion, favoritism, indirect harassment,
Harassment has plagued the world for centuries. Why should the workplace be any different? Sexual harassment and workplace violence are not only of historical roots, but contemporary issues are still present in the workforce today. Managers are addressing and combating modern sexual harassment and workplace violence, however instances still occur (Robbins, Decenzo & Coulter, 2011).
Sexual harassment is a demeaning practice, one that constitutes a profound affront to the dignity of the employees forced to endure it. By requiring an employee to contend with unwelcome sexual actions or explicit sexual demands, sexual harassment in the workplace attacks the dignity and self-respect of the victim both as an employee and as a human being. Sexual harassment is well defined as an unwelcome sexual request for sexual favors and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature. In many countries, sexual harassment is considered a form of sexual abuse and employment discrimination. Sexual harassment is most prevalent is organizations both professional and academic, though it can occur almost anywhere.
Work place policies regarding sexual harassment is the main issue discussed in this article. Sexual harassment has continued to be a challenge within the workplace. According to a recent review of sexual harassment related resolutions, employers have paid over $732,976.00 in sexual harassment fines (Hobson, Szostek, & Fitzgerald, 2015). The EEOC has issued written guidelines for appropriate strategies employers should use to handle workplace sexual harassment and specific ways to address it. It is the employer’s duty to proactively work to protect all employees from any type of sexual harassment by following sexual harassment policies and procedures that are put in place. Failure to implement and follow the policy and procedure in the workplace can and most likely will lead to liability should an EEOC investigation or lawsuit occur. The employer needs to disperse copies of the policies and procedures and post them in central locations throughout the organization and address sexual harassment in the employee handbooks. The policy and procedures need to clear
Injustices in this world infect people's lives like diseases. One in particular has not only developed over the years, but cases spring up in the most unthought of places. This injustice commonly known as sexual harassment affects women, children, and occasionally men all across the globe. There are many aspects when it comes to sexual harassment including its background, opposing viewpoints on the popular belief, the popular viewing, sexual harassment in today's society, solutions to the problem, and what the future would be like without this injustice on the world's hands.
Every public and private employer in the State of California (except the federal government and religious, non-profit corporations or associations) is subject to the California Fair Employment and Housing Act’s (FEHA), which prohibits against sexual harassment in the workplace. Individual supervisors, managers and non-supervisory employees are individually subject to the FEHA’s anti-harassment provisions. The goal of the FEHA is to familiarize supervisors and managers with their responsibilities under California law for responding to, and preventing, sexual harassment. Although federal law imposes similar duties as those required by the FEHA, there are some important differences that will be highlighted in my paper.
Organizations have an obligation to create a harassment free environment for its employees. Harassment doesn’t have to be of a sexual nature. An organization is liable if the harassment is so frequent or severe that it creates a hostile or offensive work environment or when it results in adverse employment actions such as the victim being fired, demoted, or transferred. Harassing a person based on their sex is illegal. Sexual harassment has a great impact on an employee’s productivity as well as poses a major impact on an organization’s finances in litigation.
Sexual harassment in the workplace is a huge problem in recent history. It can happen to anyone and it can happen everywhere. It can affect all types of races, gender and age. Statistics today shows that more and more sexual harassment has become an issue due to the large number of cases presented. Mainstream media becomes consume covering sexual harassment because of the high profile cases. Sexual harassment becomes a topic on various TV shows, and on some major morning radio talk shows mostly everyday. Sexual harassment laws must be strengthened in order to fix what has become a serious problem today in the workplace.
Another form of sexual harassment is a hostile work environment. The hostile environment theory involves sexual advances between the supervisor and the employee. An employee’s work performance will be less effective due to these so-called sexual advances. However, a victim can file a complaint against their harasser so that they do not continuously force them to participate. Consequently, they will be forced to hand in their resignation. [This is an issue of power and has nothing to do with sex. For this reason, both male and females can be the harasser. The harasser’s main purpose is to force another to feel or act in a certain way. Sometimes, sexual harassment causes an individual from effectively performing his/her job. As a result, is undermines an individual’s dignity. In our society, there are three essential factors that relate to the issue of sexual advances. These elements are a divergence of perceptions, the complexity of human behavior and the attitudes of a sexist.]
Thesis statement: Sexual harassment is an ongoing issue. From everyday workplaces to daily encounters, sexual assault is still a concern in our daily life and has yet to be generally recognized.
Sexual harassment is still very much in existence in the workplace today. Sexual harassment can happen in the work place for a number of reasons. The individual circumstances and situations are endless. No industry or organization is safe from the possibility. Sexual harassment includes anything sexual in nature, physically, verbally and physical. This paper analyzes the many facets in which employee Anna faces sexual harassment and a hostile work environment.
As Angel Kwolek-Folland said, “Women’s presence in the office work force challenged the Victorian ideal of separate public and private worlds for men and women” (Covey). In all our country’s attempts to eradicate sexual harassment it is still an issue people face every day. Sexual harassment is more than just inappropriate touching it is also verbal harassment and even body language. The textbook definition of sexual harassment as stated by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is “unwanted sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical harassment of a sexual nature” (Wakeman). While many think that the lines of what is sexual harassment and what is not are blurred they are not. Sexual harassment is behavior that is “so frequent or severe that is creates a hostile work environment” (Wakeman). Even though some common arguments maybe that the definition od sexual harassment is unclear or that without it the workplace would be dull, sexual harassment is not something to be ignored or belittled and it is still a big problem that people face in their workplace.