Only persons in authority-type positions can engage in this type of harassment since it requires the authority to grant a favor in return for the unwelcome advance or request. Hostile work environment harassment. When harassment makes the workplace or the classroom intolerable because constant sexual or gender-based activity or comment interferes with an employee's or student's ability to do his or her work, hostile environment sexual harassment has occurred. This type of harassment can be committed by coworkers, fellow students, or supervisors because it does not require any authority to create such an environment. Other forms of sexual harassment.
Sexual favoritism can give rise to complaints of sexual harassment.
If an employee is granted a promotion in return for sexual favors, both male and female coworkers can allege sexual harassment by showing that they were denied an equal opportunity for promotion because of the improper sexual conduct. Customers, vendors, or other third parties can also engage in sexual harassment. If you, as the business owner, have some degree of control to stop the behavior, that harassment can be your problem as well. If an employee complains that a customer is making unwelcome sexual advances, you are obligated to tell the customer to stop. Either a male or a female can be a harasser.