Many people have been made uncomfortable at work by crude jokes or disturbing looks and comments. It is often hard to know if someone's behavior has crossed the line from being crude to being harassing.  It is ultimately determined by the way the offensive actions and words make the victim feel.  It is important for all employees to know what sexual harassment is and what to do if they feel they have been a victim.

Job sexual harassment is physical or verbal conduct of a sexual nature that directly or indirectly affects ones employment or interferes with their ability to perform a job because the environment is hostile, intimidating, or offensive.  Some common types of job sexual harassment include unwelcome sexual advances, jokes and comments of a sexual nature.  The victim can be male or female and the offender can be of the opposite or same sex.  To be a victim of sexual harassment one does not even necessarily have to be the person who was directly being harassed.  Job sexual harassment includes anyone who was affected by the offensive behavior.

If a person feels he or she has been the victim of sexual harassment, the first step should always be to let the person responsible know that their words or actions are not welcome and that they need to cease.  If the behavior continues or if the victim does not feel comfortable with a confrontation he or she should follow their employers' guidelines for filing a complaint.  Once a complaint has been filed it will be investigated and all factors such as nature of the offense and the circumstances surrounding the offense will be examined.  

In recent years, the definition of job sexual harassment has been under a close microscope of scrutiny. While employers may define an "uncomfortable" situation one way, different employees may define it another. These gray areas are most often reported more than job sexual harassment.