Workplace harassment takes place for many different reasons. In some cases, there are just personal issues with the workers themselves. An example of this could be a worker who holds personal biases and refuses to set them aside during work hours.
But there are often deeper root causes. One thing that researchers have found is that harassment, and sexual harassment in particular, is often influenced by power imbalances. These make the harassment more likely and, in some cases, make it possible.
An abuse of power
Often, sexual harassment is just an abuse of power by someone within the business hierarchy. They are using their position to get what they want.
For example, say that a company is in the middle of layoffs, so employees are on edge, knowing that their supervisors get to make these decisions about who stays and who goes. One of the supervisors may ask for sexual favors from a lower-level employee – this is known as quid pro quo sexual harassment. They essentially tell the employee that their job will be safe if they agree to have this intimate relationship outside of work.
This is illegal
Even though this type of power imbalance is common, it’s important for employees to remember that it’s illegal for employers to abuse their power in this way. Additionally, if a worker does get fired for refusing to have a sexual relationship with someone else at work, this could be a form of illegal retaliation.
In other words, this situation creates the potential for many different employment lawsuits. It’s quite important for those involved to know exactly what steps they can take. If you believe that you’ve been subjected to unlawful harassment in the workplace, you should speak to an experienced law firm to help you decide your next move.