Premium Essay

Sexual Harassment In The United States

Submitted By
Words 643
Pages 3
Sexual harassment serves as a vivid example of heated struggles over sexuality, power, and gender equality on both sides of the Atlantic because it fuses the issues of violence against women, sexuality, and workplace equality. Several notable, high-profile cases in the United States raised public awareness of the problem of unwanted sexual attention in workplaces and brought the term “sexual harassment” into living rooms throughout the world during the 1990s. Although Europeans were often skeptical about the relevance of the issue to their lives, surveys report that about the same percentage of women in the European Union1 (EU) member states and in the United States have experienced sexual harassment at work. There have been several notorious …show more content…
One year later, in the context of the UN being under fire for corruption and sexual abuse by peacekeepers, this confidential UN report was leaked to the press and Lubbers resigned (BBC 20 February 2005).2 Sexual harassment has also been a problem in Germany. In 1983, a group of women staffers accused a male parliamentarian, Klaus Hecker, of the newly founded West German Green party, of groping their breasts. East German politician Heinz Eggert resigned as Saxony’s Minister for Internal Affairs in the aftermath of harassment accusations by male staff members in 1995. Complaints by women students brought male professors of the University of Stuttgart in Hohenheim, Fulda, Berlin, Hannover, and Konstanz to court. Nonetheless, under current German laws, the women did not receive compensation, and the sanctions imposed on the men ranged from excusing them from their teaching obligations, to encouraging early retirement, to reducing their salary by 10 percent for one year. Punitive damages do not exist in German law. In the late 1990s, three young policewomen could no longer endure the sexual harassment and other hostilities they encountered as women in the police force and committed suicide. Their supervisors, the media, and judges, however, called their experiences not discrimination but “mobbing,” which is a gender-neutral term for systematic workplace hostility of a long duration, in Germany described as “psychoterror at

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

Sexual Harassment In The United States

...Sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination that violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Sexual harassment may occur when there is unwanted sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other illegal physical or verbal Sexual nature It is behavior that interferes with the individual's job performance or creates an intimidating, hostile and offensive work environment. Sexual harassment is a serious problem in the United States. It is not only the employees who are victims of sexual harassment who suffer devastating emotional blows for a long time. There are different types of sexual harassment and different causes. Each state has different protections against sexual harassment. For example, Alabama allows an employee to sue an employer for sexual harassment. In comparison, Vermont law requires every employer to adopt a policy against sexual harassment. Other states do not have specific laws that prohibit or punish cases of sexual harassment. Sexual harassment can be verbal (like making rude comments about someone), but it not necessarily have to be spoken. Stalkers may use technological gadgets to sexually arras someone , like a smart phone and social network. Sometimes sexual harassment can become...

Words: 723 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Sexual Harassment

...Sexual harassment can be defined as a form unwelcome verbal, visual or physical conduct of a sexual nature that can be described as being severe or pervasive in nature. It is a discrimination against sex which violates Title VII articulated in The Civil Rights Act of 1964. This federal law formally forbids any discrimination in employment on the basis color, race, sex, religion or national origin and employers with 15 or more employees are restricted under this law. The overall effects of such activities at places of work are that they cause a hostile working environment which means that they directly affect working conditions of most workers. Sexual harassment can be able to take place anywhere beginning from schools, universities and places of work. There is a verb small difference between occasional unwanted sexual advances and comments that people thing that they might be deemed inappropriate. Sexual harassment can really affect the way your employees approach all that you are doing. The main focus of this research paper will be on the status of sexual harassment at places of work in the United States. The research paper will be able to investigate the current state of sexual harassment in the workplace in the United States. As it stands at the moment, there is no specific cause of sexual harassment at the place of work. Although there is this notion that sexual harassment is mainly caused by provocative dressing or enticing behaviors by the victims, high chances are that...

Words: 2848 - Pages: 12

Premium Essay

Sexual Harrassment

...Sexual Harassment Deborah C Gilliam 06/22/2014 MGMT402 -1403A-02 Jonathan McGovern Sexual Harassment In the United States they have many laws that protect individuals from different types of harm, including regulations that protect individuals from sexual harassment. These regulations describe, sexual harassment, which consist of behaviors as sharing explicit jokes, and official papers, incongruously touching and individual and basing decisions on the serenity of sexual request. Sexual harassment regulation in the United States gives equal protection and remedy to males and females. These regulations also apply to events where sexually incongruous behavior occurs amongst the members of the same sex. The United States has a body of guidelines recognized as the Unlawful Workplace Harassment Policy. These guidelines proscribe state personnel from making sexual remarks that generate an intimidating work atmosphere, demanding sexual nepotisms as a work condition or making undesirable sexual advances. This strategy gives a worker 30 days succeeding an occurrence to file a grievance with her company. A company who accepts such a grievance must respond within sixty days. If a target of sexual harassment is not gratified with the deed taken by her company, he/she has thirty days to petition to the Office of Administrative Hearings and the State Personnel Commission (M, 2011). A member of staff who is sexually harassed may also file a grievance with the Equal Employment...

Words: 1156 - Pages: 5

Free Essay

Sexual Harassment

...Challenges in Managing and Preventing Sexual Harassment in a Culturally Diverse Workplace. In recent years the topic of sexual harassment has become one of the most talked about issues in the press. Sexual harassment is a topical problem for many employees that not only leads to discrimination in labor, loss in wages, low productivity and stress, but it also influence the general atmosphere of lawlessness and violence against the comfort of other human beings. The act sexual harassment creates a hostile tense working environment. In this paper we will discuss the challenges in managing and preventing sexual harassment in a culturally diverse workplace. We will also discuss some cases of reported sexual harassment that has occurred in different countries, the laws against sexual harassment and the affect it has on companies as a whole. The global trend to eliminate any forms of sexual harassment in the field of labor relations is one of the priorities of modern day society. Companies around the world face the task of ensuring there are decent working conditions for employees. These conditions include one free from sexual harassment. When incorporating prevention measures some cultures are harder to implement for than others. Because of this, cross-cultural companies are considered difficult to management because of the peculiarities of the mentality and the differences in cultural practices, but regardless if the structure, sexual harassment requires a solution in order to further...

Words: 4138 - Pages: 17

Premium Essay

Employment Discrimination Trends

...federal laws put in place to prevent employment discrimination based on an applicant’s “…race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age (40 or older), disability or genetic information” (“Overview,” n.d., para. 1). The EEOC is responsible for preventing or investigating any claims of discrimination that occur based on these criteria. The EEOC also educates employers on discrimination laws and methods of ensuring that discrimination does not occur within an organization through outreach and education programs. Every year, the EEOC also compiles statistics on the type and number of legitimate discrimination claims. These statistical reports are based on the charges and resolutions of discrimination claims, such as harassment, pregnancy, age, or national origin. By viewing the statistical report on...

Words: 968 - Pages: 4

Free Essay

Business Law

...Lois Jenson and Patricia Kosmach filed a class action suit against Eveleth Mines alleging sex discrimination in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII), 42 U.S.C. § 2000e-2, and the Minnesota Human Rights Act (MHRA), Minn.Stat. § 363.03, subd. 1(2). This case was the first sexual harassment class action to reach the federal court system, and was overseen by U.S. District Court Judge James Rosenbaum. We will look at this case and summarize the actions leading up to the lawsuit, discuss how management could have prevented the lawsuit, discuss ethical considerations, determine which sources of law would be most relevant, and finally make recommendations on what management could as alternate resolutions. “Jenson V. Eveleth Taconite Co.” Summarize the actions that lead to the lawsuit. This particular case was a very big lawsuit for its time and has been made into a movie we know as North Country. Almost from the beginning, according to court documents, Ms. Jenson and other women were subjected to sexual harassment, verbal abuse, threats, stalking, and intimidation. This behavior has since become known as "strategic" or "territorial harassment," in this case acts perpetrated by men in a predominately male workplace. Lois Jenson was a female worker at the Eveleth Taconite Co Mines from March 25, 1975 until January 25, 1992. During her work there, she was sexually harassed by her fellow male co-workers. On October 5, 1984, Jenson mailed a letter...

Words: 1300 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Sexual Harassment

...Introduction Sexual harassment in the workplace is by no means a new phenomenon. It has existed for as longs as there has existed co-workers. However, workplaces have become more diversified over the years prompting women to rise into positions of power. Owing to these changes, sexual harassment has not only become unacceptable but also illegal in most jurisdictions. In the modern work place, sexual harassment is an increasing problem that many employees know it exists, but do not know how to deal with. The term “Sexual Harassment” became more popularized around the year 1975. This was as a result of writers and activists began addressing the issue. A pertinent question however is whether the question has really been solved. This paper will address some of the issues that are to do with sexual harassment. Types Sexual Harassment Generally, the instances of sexual harassment fall in two classes namely quid pro quo and “hostile environment”. In the quid pro quo type of sexual harassment, the harasser implicitly or explicitly makes success in the workplace, class assignment or any other situation to be based on the victim submitting to the sexual demands that are unwelcome from the harasser. Examples of harassers in this type include a supervisor who promises job promotion in exchange for sex or a manager who punishes an employee who refuses his sex advances. In the “hostile environment” class of harassment, the sexual conduct of the harasser; be it verbal or physical; puts...

Words: 2552 - Pages: 11

Premium Essay

Sexual Harassment

...Sources BLR, Simplify Compliance Drive Success: Oklahoma Sexual Harassment: What you need to know, http://www.blr.com/HREmployment/Discrimination/Sexual-Harassment-in-Oklahoma The Advocates For Human Rights, 2010, Prevalence of Sexual Harassment, http://www.stopvaw.org/Prevalence_of_Sexual_Harassment Braverman, B., 2013, The Fiscal Times, http://www.thefiscaltimes.com/Articles/2013/08/22/The-High-Cost-of-Sexual-Harassment 2004, Burger King Franchise Pays $400,000 for Alleged Sexual Harassment of Teens, http://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/newsroom/release/12-6-04b.cfm 2010, http://www.workharassment.net/index.php/sexual-harassment-in-the-workplace.html http://www.aauw.org/what-we-do/legal-resources/know-your-rights-at-work/workplace-sexual-harassment/ INTRODUCTION Sexual harassment has been an ongoing problem for decades. In recent years, the percentage of sexual harassment claims has dropped, but some people are also afraid to report harassment. Following you will find a definition of what sexual harassment is along with statistics from studies conducted. SEXUAL HARASSMENT DEFINED Sexual harassment is “unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature, when submission is made a term or condition of employment is used as a basis for employment decisions affecting the individual, unreasonably interferes with the individual’s work performance, or creates a hostile, intimidating, or offensive working environment (OK...

Words: 1131 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Hrm 531 W2 Employment Law Compliance Plan

...of the employment laws and how they should be applied in the company. A brief description of penalties that may arise for noncompliance of the various laws will be evident in the content of the memo. To remain in compliance, it is necessary for the company to abide by the laws. The purpose of the memo is to identify five laws that will affect the limousine service located in Austin, Texas. 1. Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 2. Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 3. Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 4. Family and the Medical Leave Act of 1993 5. Sexual Harassment in the Place of Work Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 The Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 requires employees to avoid employment discrimination against anyone at least 40 in the United States (Employment Law Firms, 2013). The Civil Rights Center of the United States organized the law to encourage employment of older individuals by creating independence. The Act covers basic compensations plans, terms and conditions of jobs, and other privileges of employment. The Act enforces to employer's not to refuse the hiring process to the elderly. The law forbids employer's to prevent or ignore the capability of older employees because of age. An employee has the right to file a grievance against the employer. Employers are...

Words: 1138 - Pages: 5

Free Essay

Sexual Harassment

...When people think of sexual harassment, they typically think of a group of guys saying dirty jokes to a woman. Although that is an example of sexual harassment, it goes much further. Sexual harassment is unwelcome sexual advances, requests for favors of a sexual nature. Including other physical and/or verbal conduct of a sexual nature constitute sexual harassment when this behavior implicitly or explicitly affects a person’s employment, unreasonably interferes with an employee’s work performance, or creates a hostile, intimidating, or offensive work environment. Sexual harassment is a form of sexual discrimination that violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Title VII applies to employers with 15 or more employees, including state and local governments. It also covers employment agencies and labor organizations as well as the federal government. (www.ecoc.gov) Sexual harassment like many other things has a history. The concept of sexual harassment is not an old one, it is a relatively new term that was started in the 1970s. The term was used in 1973 in “Saturn’s Rings”, a report written by Mary Rowe. This report was given to the Chancellor and President of MIT. The report included multiple types of gender issues that were going on at the institution. Rowe stated that in her opinion she was not the first to use the term because it was talked about in some women’s groups in Massachusetts in the early 1970s. MIT may have been one of the first large institutions...

Words: 2152 - Pages: 9

Free Essay

Business Law Assignment 1

...Lois Jenson and Patricia Kosmach filed a class action suit against Eveleth Mines alleging sex discrimination in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII), 42 U.S.C. § 2000e-2, and the Minnesota Human Rights Act (MHRA), Minn.Stat. § 363.03, subd. 1(2). This case was the first sexual harassment class action to reach the federal court system, and was overseen by U.S. District Court Judge James Rosenbaum. We will look at this case and summarize the actions leading up to the lawsuit, discuss how management could have prevented the lawsuit, discuss ethical considerations, determine which sources of law would be most relevant, and finally make recommendations on what management could as alternate resolutions. “Jenson V. Eveleth Taconite Co.” Summarize the actions that lead to the lawsuit. This particular case was a very big lawsuit for its time and has been made into a movie we know as North Country. Almost from the beginning, according to court documents, Ms. Jenson and other women were subjected to sexual harassment, verbal abuse, threats, stalking, and intimidation. This behavior has since become known as "strategic" or "territorial harassment," in this case acts perpetrated by men in a predominately male workplace. Lois Jenson was a female worker at the Eveleth Taconite Co Mines from March 25, 1975 until January 25, 1992. During her work there, she was sexually harassed by her fellow male co-workers. On October 5, 1984, Jenson mailed a letter...

Words: 1300 - Pages: 6

Free Essay

Sexual Harassment- a Species of Sex Discrimination

...------------------------------------------------- SEXUAL HARASSMENT- A SPECIES OF SEX DISCRIMINATION ABSTRACT ”The best judge of whether or not a country is going to develop is how it treats its women. If it's educating its girls, if women have equal rights, that country is going to move forward. But if women are oppressed, abused and harassed, then they're going to fall behind” .........Barack Obama The global economy is becoming increasingly dependent upon the ability to effectively produce and use knowledge and that the competitiveness of a country depends on the knowledge acquisition capacity of its human resource i.e. both men and women. Human civilization is gradually progressing in transforming through all tensions, dissensions, and harmony. Since the dawn of civilization women have been a catalyst of change in the different time and the climes in the sphere of knowledge and civilization, shoulder to shoulder with men, History witnesses that in a male dominated society women have stood up in their relentless crusade against the humiliation, oppression, and torture to establish their position, power, and individuality because of this crusade, society and civilization has blossomed and undergone a progressive change. The term sexual harassment “as a legal concept” gained meaningful application in the United States only in the mid- 1970s when the US courts held it to be a form...

Words: 6388 - Pages: 26

Premium Essay

Employment Law Compliance Plan

...to be applied in the organization. I will discuss in brief about the drawbacks because of noncompliance of a variety of legislation. The business has to monitor these requirements to remain in compliance. There are five principles that I will discuss over this memo. The laws are Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, “Age Discrimination in Employment Act of (1967) (“The Age Discrimination Act" (2015), Immigration Reform and control Act of 1986 “Immigration Reform and control Act” (2015), Family and the Medical Leave Act of 1993 The "Family & Medical Leave Act" (2015), and Sexual Harassment in the place of work ("Sexual Harassment At The Workplace", 2015). The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 The American with Disabilities Act of 1990 is primarily for that organization that discriminates qualified people from employment opportunity because of his or her disability type (United States Department of Labor, 2013). In general the disability can be of any form walking, talking, seeing, hearing, and learning. The prime of this law is to protect these people and provide them employment opportunity. The law extends support towards the people diagnosed with HIV or AIDS as well as a person who has finished substance abuse course. The organization...

Words: 1236 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Sexual Harassment in the Workplace

...Sexual Harassment in the Workplace: How to Avoid an Incident Sexual Harassment in the Workplace: How to Avoid an Incident Abstract Human Resource Managers play a large role in making sure that the company they are employed with not only follows all employment laws and regulations, but is also aware of new laws that are being discussed and can keep track of their progress. Human Resource Managers are key in making sure that the correct training, manuals and information is given to all employees so that each employee is well educated on US laws and office procedures as well as to protect the employer from a possible lawsuit. Introduction The work environment is a place that is relatively safe because people know what is allowed and what is not allowed right? Despite the media and vast resources that are available today, instances of harassment and discrimination continue to occur in the workplace. Many truthfully never meant to offend a co-worker and they state that they simply were not aware that they were doing something wrong by making a certain gesture, comment or asking a type of question. Should the responsibility of researching current laws to know what is or is not appropriate in the workplace fall on the shoulders of the employee or the employer? While it is definitely helpful for employees to educate themselves with laws and regulations, it is the responsibility of the employer to make sure that each employee, current and new, is informed and...

Words: 1608 - Pages: 7

Free Essay

Giggity

...across, so I choose sexual harassment towards women in the workplace. Is there still sexual harassment with woman? What constitutes sexual harassment? How is sexual harassment towards women different between now and 50 years ago? These are the questions I hope to ask and hopefully answer throughout this paper. What constitutes sexual harassment? Sexual harassment is defined as unwelcome sexually determined behavior as physical contact and advances, sexually colored remarks, showing pornography and sexual demands, whether by words or actions. Such conduct can be humiliating and may constitute a health and safety problem; it is discriminatory when the woman has reasonable ground to believe that her objection would disadvantage her in connection with her employment, including recruitment or promotion, or when it creates a hostile working environment. With this it is also considered to be that submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of an individual’s employment; submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as the basis for employment decisions affecting such individual; or 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. Is there still sexual harassment with woman? In the article “SEXUAL HARASSMENT VERSUS WORKPLACE ROMANCE: SOCIAL MEDIA SPILLOVER AND TEXTUAL HARASSMENT IN THE WORKPLACE...

Words: 894 - Pages: 4