Workplace Harassment

To “harass” means “to irritate or torment persistently; to bully.”

Every employee is entitled to freedom from harassment in the workplace. It is illegal when an employer or an employer’s agent (e.g., supervisor; foreman) harasses an employee without a just cause.

The law does not spell out the kind of behavior an employer can use. But unlawful harassment is defined as verbal or physical conduct which denigrates (defames; attacks the reputation of) or shows hostility or aversion to an individual because of that person’s race, creed, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, disability, or umarital status, and which

• has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with that person’s work or performance, or
• has the purpose or effect of creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work environment, or
• otherwise adversely affects that individual’s employment opportunities.

In general, harassment is any form of behavior that is unjust and

• makes the employee feel humiliated (the behavior puts him/her down),
• offended, or
• intimidated.

With the population of America becoming more and more diverse, job harassment cases are turning out to be varied in nature than being mere sexual harassment.

Workplace has now become a multi-cultural place with employees from differing race, religion, or ethnic background being part of it. Nowadays, on job harassment cases are not limited to sex harassment but can be based on an employee's ethnic background, age, or physical disability.