Our small business online advice columnist. A person feels that employment decisions such as raises, promotions, and demotions depend on whether he or she submits to or rejects the conduct. The conduct interferes with a person's work performance or creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working environment. Either a man or a woman can be a harasser. According to a recent Supreme Court decision, illegal sexual harassment may be found even where the victim is the same sex as the harasser.
Harassment can occur at work, at company-sponsored events, or between coworkers away from work.
Employment harassment does not include an employee harassing a supervisor. There are several types of sexual harassment. Attraction between employees should be a private matter between the employees, so long as it does not cross the boundary between welcome conduct and harassment. Types of sexual harassment. Sexual harassment can take several forms.