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. Sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination that occurs in the workplace. The federal courts did not recognize sexual harassment as a form of sex discrimination until the 1970s, because the problem originally was perceived as isolated incidents of flirtation in the workplace.
Employers are now aware that they can be sued by the victims of workplace sexual harassment.
Clarence Thomas during his 1991 confirmation hearings also raised societal consciousness about this issue. This language has also formed the basis for most state laws prohibiting sexual harassment. A key part of the definition is the use of the word unwelcome. Sexual or romantic interaction between consenting people at work may be offensive to observers or may violate company policy, but it is not sexual harassment. The courts have generally concluded that a victim need not say or do a particular thing to indicate unwelcomeness.