Hostile Work Environments

A Hostile Work Environment exists when unwelcome sexual conduct unreasonably interferes with an individual's job performance or creates a hostile, intimidating or offensive work environment.  This is true even of the harassment may not result in tangible or economic job consequences.  For example, the person being harassed may not lose pay or a promotion. A hostile work environment can be created by managers, supervisors, coworkers, customers, or even clients.

Examples of a hostile work environment might include:

• Requests for sexual favors
• Offensive language
• Offensive and / or vulgar graffiti 
• Sexual inquiries and vulgarities
• Physical or demeaning conduct of a sexual nature
• Sexually offensive, explicit or sexist signs, cartoons, calendars, literature or photographs displayed in open view

An employer should be aware of the existence of a hostile work environment when:

• There has been a complaint to a manager
• A manager failed to establish a policy against sexual harassment
• The harassment is well known among employees

Liability for employers in instances of a hostile work environment exists when:

• The employer knew or should have known about the harassment
• The employer failed to take appropriate corrective action

Other forms of this term include - hostile work environments