Same sex sexual harassment in the workplace

Sexual harassment is bullying or coercion of a sexual nature, or the unwelcome or inappropriate promise of rewards in exchange for sexual favors. In most modern legal contexts, sexual harassment is illegal. As defined by the United States' Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), "It is unlawful to harass a person (an applicant or employee) because of that person's sex." Harassment can include "sexual harassment" or unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical harassment of a sexual nature. The legal definition of sexual harassment varies by jurisdiction. 

Attorney Travis Hollifield: My practice and many of my colleges practices around the state and frankly around the country are seeing more and more same sex sexual harassment claims. Either male on male or female on female sexual harassment complaints and objections in the work place and these issues are becoming more and more prevalent as our society has moved forward and the idea of homosexuality is not, certainly not as scary as it once was. It's become more normalized so folks that would ordinarily have felt like they didn't want to come forward in the workplace to complain for fear that they would be found out that is melting away and we see more and more people stand up for themselves in the work place if they feel like there's some inappropriate attention or any inappropriate behavior that's being directed to them in the work place.

Attorney Tom Olsen: If you feel like you're receiving sexual harassment at work, whether it's same sex or opposite sex, what is the typical remedy for you. How do you start the process of trying to rectify that situation.

Attorney Travis Hollifield: Typically what I would tell any listener that maybe out there that maybe suffering through something like this is to call a competent attorney to help object to the employer about the harassment. You can do it yourself but just like anything in life if you try and do things yourself sometimes it doesn't quite work out the way you had hoped. If you have a competent attorney that can guide you through the objection process, i.e objecting to your employer about the harassment, whether it's same sex or opposite sex, that would go a long way towards preserving your rights, once you may have to bring some sort of litigation in the future.

Attorney Tom Olsen: All right folks, my name is Tom Olsen and the name of the show is Olsen on Law. My guest today is Attorney Travis Holifield, he's and employment law attorney.