Heather has recently been hired to teach two courses at a community college. The position is only for the semester, but she hopes to be hired on a permanent basis. The chair of her department, the man who hired her, frequently makes jokes about how attractive she is, and about how inappropriate it would be for him to ask her out on a date. What is the name given to this kind of unwanted behaviour?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The behavior described is an example of hostile environment harassment, where the individual is subjected to unwelcome behavior that creates an intimidating or offensive environment. The chair's comments about Heather's attractiveness and his inappropriate jokes create an uncomfortable environment for her. Simple sexual harassment refers to a single incident rather than ongoing behavior. Quid pro quo harassment involves a trade-off where job benefits or consequences are based on submitting to or rejecting sexual advances. Precarious labor harassment is not a recognized term.

Heather Has Recently Been Hired to Teach Two Courses at a Community