sexual harassment

sexual harassment
sexual harassment n: employment discrimination consisting of unwelcome verbal or physical conduct directed at an employee because of his or her sex; also: the tort of engaging in such discrimination see also hostile environment sexual harassment, quid pro quo sexual harassment
◇ Sexual harassment has been found by federal courts to violate the protection in the Civil Rights Act of 1964 against discrimination in employment. There are also state statutes under which sexual harassment actions may be brought. In order to recover against an employer under a sexual harassment suit, the plaintiff has to show that the harassment affected the employment (as by being severe or pervasive) and that the employer is liable under respondeat superior because of actual or constructive knowledge of the harassment. Strict liability is often imposed for harassment of an employee by a supervisor or for quid pro quo sexual harassment.

Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary of Law. . 1996.

sexual harassment
noun actionable annoyance at place of employment, actionable conduct, gender harassment in the workplace, offensive verbal abuse in the workplace, plan of physical harassment by superiors, policy of verbal harassment by superiors, unsolicited physical behavior in the workplace, unsolicited verbal abuse in the workplace, unwarranted advances, unwelcome sexual advances, verbal abuse at work associated concepts: hostile workplace

Burton's Legal Thesaurus. . 2006


sexual harassment
Under the Sexual Discrimination Act 1975, sexual harassment occurs when a person is subject to abuse, hostile behaviour or other unwanted conduct because of his/her sex. The person may be awarded compensation in an industrial tribunal even where there has been no financial loss. Employers should put in place the necessary policies, training, discipline and monitoring to limit such risks. The employer avoids such liability if he shows he did all that was reasonable to prevent such conduct.

Easyform Glossary of Law Terms. — UK law terms.


sexual harassment
See harassment, sexual

The Essential Law Dictionary. — Sphinx Publishing, An imprint of Sourcebooks, Inc. . 2008.


sexual harassment
Offensive and unwelcome sexual conduct that is so severe or pervasive that it affects the terms and conditions of the victim's employment, either because the victim's submission or failure to submit to the behavior is the basis for job-related decisions (like firing or demotion) or because the victim reasonably finds the workplace abusive or hostile as a result of the harassment.
Category: Employment Law & HR → Employee Rights
Category: Employment Law & HR → Human Resources

Nolo’s Plain-English Law Dictionary. . 2009.


sexual harassment
n. A harassment of a sexual nature, usually in one's place of employment.
See also harassment.

Webster's New World Law Dictionary. . 2000.


sexual harassment
Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature that tends to create a hostile or offensive work environment.

Dictionary from West's Encyclopedia of American Law. 2005.


sexual harassment
Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature that tends to create a hostile or offensive work environment.

Short Dictionary of (mostly American) Legal Terms and Abbreviations.

sexual harassment
n.
   unwanted sexual approaches (including touching, feeling, groping) and/or repeated unpleasant, degrading and/or sexist remarks directed toward an employee with the implied suggestion that the target's employment status, promotion or favorable treatment depend upon a positive response and/or "cooperation." Sexual harassment is a private nuisance, unfair labor practice or, in some states, a civil wrong (tort) which may be the basis for a lawsuit against the individual who made the advances and against the employer who did not take steps to halt the harassment. A legal secretary recently won an award of more than $3 million against a prominent law firm in California for not controlling a partner notorious for his sexual harassment of female employees.
   See also: nuisance

Law dictionary. . 2013.

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  • sexual harassment — noun uncount the offensive or threatening behavior of a person who regularly makes sexual comments or touches someone in a sexual way …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • sexual harassment — n [U] sexual remarks, looks, or touching done to someone who does not want it, especially from someone they work with …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • sexual harassment — ► NOUN ▪ the repeated making of unwanted sexual advances or obscene remarks to a person, especially in a workplace …   English terms dictionary

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