Sexual harassment is harassment or unwelcome attention of a sexual nature.  It includes a range of behavior from mild transgressions and annoyances to serious abuses, which can even involve forced sexual activity.

 

Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, or other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature when:

 

1. Submission to such conduct was made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of an individual's employment,

 

2. Submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual was used as the basis for employment decisions affecting such individual, or

 

3. Such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual's work performance or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working environment.

 

Hostile Environment

 

This occurs when an employee is subjected to comments of a sexual nature, unwelcome physical contact, or offensive sexual materials as a regular part of the work environment.

 

 

Retaliation has occurred when an employee suffers a negative action after they make a report of sexual harassment, file a grievance, assist someone else with a complaint, or participate in discrimination prevention activities. Negative actions can include being fired, demotion, suspension, denial of promotion, poor evaluation, unfavorable job re-assignment any adverse employment decision or treatment that would be likely to dissuade a "reasonable worker" from making or supporting a charge of discrimination.