Hostile Environment

Unlike quid pro quo harassment, hostile environment sexual harassment can be a little more difficult to define and detect. In general, it is when someone makes another employee feel uncomfortable or perceive the work environment to be abusive or uncomfortable. This can be due to physical or verbal actions.

An example of a hostile environment sexual harassment would be the response to an employee getting a well-deserved promotion. Her co-worker, who is jealous, begins spreading a rumor that the employee only received the promotion because she had provided the management with sexual favors.

Other examples of hostile environment sexual harassment include the following:

• Sexual jokes
• Suggestive remarks
• Cartoons
• Physically interfering with movement (blocking a person, following a person)
• Sexually derogatory comments
• Conduct (based on sex) that interferes with an employee ability to work
• Conduct that creates an intimidating, hostile, abusive, or offensive working environment

To learn more about Sexual Harassment Prevention For Employees visit our Cal/OSHA Sexual Harassment Prevention For Employees Online Training web page.