Unwelcome sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination that violates the Maine Human Rights Act. This article provides a summary of those new requirements.

When an employee alleges sexual harassment, that employee is in a vulnerable position. Often, an employee is subjected to punishment as revenge for having made the allegation. This type of punishment that stems specifically from making a sexual harassment allegation is known as retaliation. In order to prevent retaliation, it is vital for an employer to have policies in place. Without anti-retaliation policies to safeguard an employee, she or he can be victimized all over again. In addition, if retaliation is allowed to go unaddressed, sexual harassment is much more likely to reoccur and to go unreported.

Most sexual harassment involves words or actions that are sexual in nature. This can include suggestive or explicit words or phrases, displays of pornography, rude gestures, unwelcomed physical contact, and demands for sexual favors. However, words and actions do not have to be sexual in nature to be considered sexual harassment.

Although all employees of an organization must do their parts to prevent sexual harassment and to report it when it does occur, the responsibility for creating a culture that stresses the importance of prevention and reporting lies with the employer. When an employer makes prevention a priority, that mindset has a positive influence on all levels of that workplace. Conversely, when an employer places no importance on prevention, then sexual harassment and the problems it creates are very likely to permeate all levels of that organization.

Sexual harassment can have devastating effects on the individuals involved and on the workplace environment in which they occur. And despite how quickly an employer might respond to a sexual harassment complaint, by that point, severe damage can already have been done. Preventing sexual harassment from occurring in the first place as such is of paramount importance.

According to one source, more than half of all workers (54%) have experienced some form of workplace harassment. In addition, the percentage of women who have experienced sexual harassment in the workplace is nearly four times that of men (79% versus 21%).

All sexual harassment can be categorized into two broad types: quid pro quo and hostile work environment. In the eyes of the law, there is no difference between these two types of sexual harassment. Both quid pro quo harassment and harassment that results in a hostile work environment are equally detrimental to a workplace and to the individuals involved, and under the Civil Rights Act of 1964, both are illegal.

The number of incidences of sexual harassment that occur every year is difficult to determine. One study found that more than half of all workers (54%) had experienced some form of sexual harassment. One of the primary reasons why the number is difficult to calculate is because of how few incidents of sexual harassment are actually reported due to a variety of reasons.

On occasion, an employee will tell a joke or make a comment that seems harmless to that person but is hurtful or offensive to someone else. It does not matter about the individual's intent but rather the employee's words and their effect on the person or persons who heard them.