The basis for a sexual harassment claim, a "hostile work environment" is created where the presence of demeaning or sexual photographs, jokes, threats, or overall atmosphere is so pervasive as to create an intimidating and offensive work environment.
A form of sexual harassment. For sexual harassment prevention training programs visit our Sexual Harassment Prevention Training Products Category.
a work environment where an employee is subject to unwelcome verbal or physical behavior that is either severe or persuasive. (Taken from the Sexual Harassment context).
a form of sexual harassment that occurs when unwelcome sexual conduct unreasonably interferes with an individual's job performance and creates a hostile, intimidating or offensive work environment. Return to course
is a form a discrimination that may be brought by a worker on the basis of their race, color, creed, sex, national origin, age or disability. In determining whether a workplace has a hostile environment factors include the frequency of the offending conduct, the severity of the conduct, whether the conduct is physical or verbal, whether the conduct unreasonably interferes with a workers’ performance, and the affect of the conduct on its victims. It is important to realize that there is NO LAW that requires employers to be nice to their workers. Just because an employer is mean to everyone does not mean that there is a legal cause of action.
The situation in which offensive conduct is so severe that it makes it almost impossible for the individual to perform his or her job. The theory of hostile work environment is often the foundation for a claim of sexual harassment, but can also refer to attitudes and behaviors in addition to sexually offensive conduct.
A hostile work environment exists when an employee experiences workplace harassment and fears going to work because of the offensive, intimidating, or oppressive atmosphere generated by the harasser. Hostile work environment is also one of the two legal categories of sexual harassment.