Sexual harassment also occurs when a person in authority tries to trade job benefits for sexual
favors. This can include hiring, promotion, continued employment or any other terms, conditions or
privileges of employment. This is also called “quid pro quo” harassment.
Any employee who feels harassed should complain so that any violation of this policy can be
corrected promptly. Any harassing conduct, even a single incident, can be addressed under this
policy.
Examples of sexual harassment
The following describes some of the types of acts that may be unlawful sexual harassment and that
are strictly prohibited:
Physical assaults of a sexual nature, such as:
• Touching, pinching, patting, grabbing, brushing against another employee’s body or
poking another employees’ body;
• Rape, sexual battery, molestation or attempts to commit these assaults.
Unwanted sexual advances or propositions, such as:
• Requests for sexual favors accompanied by implied or overt threats concerning the
victim’s job performance evaluation, a promotion or other job benefits or detriments;
• Subtle or obvious pressure for unwelcome sexual activities.
Sexually oriented gestures, noises, remarks, jokes or comments about a person’s sexuality or
sexual experience, which create a hostile work environment.
Sexual or discriminatory displays or publications anywhere in the workplace, such as:
• Displaying pictures, posters, calendars, graffiti, objects, promotional material, reading
materials or other materials that are sexually demeaning or pornographic. This includes
such sexual displays on workplace computers or cell phones and sharing such displays
while in the workplace.
Hostile actions taken against an individual because of that individual’s sex, sexual orientation,
gender identity and the status of being transgender, such as:
• Interfering with, destroying or damaging a person’s workstation, tools or equipment, or
otherwise interfering with the individual’s ability to perform the job;
• Sabotaging an individual’s work;
• Bullying, yelling, name-calling.
Who can be a target of sexual harassment?
Sexual harassment can occur between any individuals, regardless of their sex or gender. New York
Law protects employees, paid or unpaid interns, and non-employees, including independent
contractors, and those employed by companies contracting to provide services in the workplace. A
perpetrator of sexual harassment can be a superior, a subordinate, a coworker or anyone in the
workplace including an independent contractor, contract worker, vendor, client, customer or visitor.