Is it sexual harassment... (page 8)

John Doe

I hate to break it to you, Doe, but that woman has no "hoo-hoos".

I beg to differ.

Finally-Free

I hate to break it to you, Doe, but that woman has no "hoo-hoos".

I beg to differ.

They appear to be "hoo-hoos" of the concave persuasion.

W

It's not 'sexual harassment'. To me, sexual harassment would be if my boss insisted on sexual favours in order for me to keep my job or to get a raise. Which, in that case, I wouldn't bother reporting it, but he might find himself dinger-less.

You can't cry "sexual harassment' every time a guy looks at you or gives you a compliment. That's completely insane. Unfortunately, as a society, we're never balanced on anything. In decades past, many women were sexually harassed on a daily basis and many ended up sleeping with the boss in order to keep their job. Of course, this wasn't right and laws needed to be put in place to protect them, but as per usual, the pendulum has swung so far the other way that many men are almost afraid of talking to a co-worker now, lest it be viewed as "harassment" where he could easily find himself jobless.

Have I ever been sexually harassed at work? Various things have happened over the years. Everything from 'you look nice today' to someone physically grabbing me and telling me how attracted to me he was. This last one I did initially report as it really creeped me out, but I did not give them his name. I put it down to a cultural difference and I didn't want to see a man who had been there for 35 years out of a job for that. However, I did tell the Harassment Office that if it happened again, I would say something to him. Fortunately, it never did.

AGuest

It's not 'sexual harassment'. To me, sexual harassment would be...

I don't think this is about what any of us THINK; it's what is the LAW. And, under the law, it [is] sexual harassment.

if my boss insisted on sexual favours in order for me to keep my job or to get a raise.

That would be "quid pro quo" one of several FORMS of sexual harassment. Hey, look, I get it: "you" don't want it to BE "sexual harassment." But I didn't get that the question was "do you think it is" or "do you want it to be" sexual harassment. And sexual harassment isn't just the obvious stuff. For example, in 2006, I was attending a Corporate baby shower. I was sitting in a seat chatting with one of MY employees when I got up to get some dessert. When I returned, one of the VP's was sitting in my chair. No biggie; I turned to look for another seat. My employee (who is 2 levels below the Veep) said, "Oh, Shelby, where are you going to sit?" Before I could respond, the Veep (who had been "chasing" me for a couple/ few years, but I just blew his *ss off - he was a joke to ME - said, "Well, you know Shelby..." (and patted his thighs)... "you can just sit right here."

I ignored him. Yeah, it was embarassing and if I could blush I probably would have... but I was embarassed for HIM - he's such a... ummmm... well, not perv. More like, pathetic. He would follow me like a little lost puppy. I just came to pity him, actually (when I announced my engagement to my husband, he went and found some lady on the Internet and married her 3 weeks later. Of course, they "annulled" like six weeks after that)

ENNYWAY... MY employee came to me and said, "You're not going to let him get away with that, are you? I mean, you ARE going to report him? Because if YOU don't, I will." Well, folks, it WAS sexual harassment. No, he didn't put my job on the line, etc., BUT... I was a SUPERVISOR, an employee of MINE had witnessed the event... and so I was OBLIGATED to report it. I mean, how can I tell my staff how to handle themselves in such events and REPORT them if they are UNWELCOME... and here I blow the exact example off? I could have then been responsible for CONTRIBUTING to offensive conduct.

Sexual harassment is NOT a cut-and-dried situation. Virtually ANY conduct that is UNWELCOME, OFFENSIVE, UNCONSENTED, etc., CAN be construed as "sexual harassment." If you don't believe me... look past Title VII... to CASE law. What may be overlooked in one district/circuit, may not be in another. AND... if it comes down to a jury, chances are even slimmer.

But, I'm just sayin'... and I'm only sayin' because the responses here indicate to ME that a whole lot of folks (here)... and peculiarly some WOMEN... still... don't... get... it.

I bid you all peace!

A slave of Christ,

SA, JD, CMH, COS, TCS, who is also certified in HR Management (CSU East Bay and Monterey Peninsula College)

John Doe

Aguest, don't mistake disagreement for not "getting it." Trust me, I get it all too well. People take themselves much too seriously.

AllTimeJeff

Shelby, what about the scenario given where a women wears clothing that is definitely revealing and unprofessional. Most companies have Sexual Harrassment and Dress Codes that are tied in.

Shouldn't a woman who wears such clothing be brought up before HR and the process of warnings started in that case? That would also create a hostile work enviorenment according to my understanding of HR?

AllTimeJeff

Doe, having dealt with some crappy HR scenarios in real life, I can only say that it is the lesser of two evils to take this too seriously as opposed to not seriously enough.

John Doe

Whatever happened to common sense being a virtue?

AllTimeJeff

Whatever happened to common sense being a virtue?

It can rule your world, but it can't rule corporate America. I am not saying its a great situation, I am just reporting the news on the ground here.

Mary

A Guest said: Virtually ANY conduct that is UNWELCOME, OFFENSIVE, UNCONSENTED, etc., CAN be construed as "sexual harassment."

W hich is exactly what the problem is. Sexual harassment still certainly exists, but in many cases it's become ridiculous.

But, I'm just sayin'... and I'm only sayin' because the responses here indicate to ME that a whole lot of folks (here)... and peculiarly some WOMEN... still... don't... get... it.

Or perhaps we just care to be more balanced in our views and don't see "sexual harassment" behind every comment that comes out of a guys mouth.

Is it sexual harassment...

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