Illegal discrimination is treating people who are similarly situated differently based on a protected factor like race or sex. Workplace harassment violates the laws against employment discrimination because it affects the terms and conditions of employment. Harassment that is serious enough to be illegal forces the employee to work in a hostile work environment because of his or her race or sex or other protected factor. Second, remember that the creation of a hostile work environment is not always illegal. The workplace is sometimes hostile.
Lets face it, it is usually more fun to be on the beach.
The hostile work environment must be created by illegal discrimination to be against the law. Usually, once is not enough. The harassment must be bad enough to make the work environment truly hostile. Generally, this will require more than one incident more than one racial slur or one sexually explicit drawing or comment. However, if the incident is particularly offensive, especially if it supervisor or a member of management, it may be enough.