Sexual Harassment

In 1964, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act is enacted, which establishes the foundation for preventing sexual harassment. However, sexual harassment was not specifically included in the legislation at the time. The Supreme Court first addressed sexual harassment over a decade later, during Meritor Savings Bank vs. Vinson in 1986. The Supreme Court stated that if an employer knows about sexual harassment, it is their responsibility to take action against the offender.

According to the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), 75% of workplace sexual harassment goes unreported, and 55% of complaints receive retaliation after an incident is reported. This high chance of retaliation does not make women employees comfortable with reporting.

Not only does sexual harassment create an unsafe workplace, but it also results in loss of profits. According to Deloitte, workplace sexual harassment costs an average of 2.6 billion dollars a year, or $1,053 per victim.

For more information on workplace sexual harassment, please visit the following links:

• Meritor Savings Bank v. Vinson, 477 U.S. 57 (1986)

• A primer on the history of sexual harassment, and why it deserves a place in diversity training

• History Of Sexual Harassment Laws In The United States