Relations · HR glossary

Sexual Harassment

Sexual harassment is unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that falls within the applicable legal or workplace definition. It can involve behaviour, comments, messages or requests in work-related contexts.

Example

An employee reports repeated unwanted sexual messages from a colleague, and the employer follows the relevant reporting and complaint-handling procedure.

What to keep in mind

Definitions and statutory processes vary by jurisdiction. Treat reports seriously, protect against retaliation and assess the facts fairly; a workplace policy may prohibit conduct beyond the minimum legal definition.

Further reading

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