مقاله سال ۲۰۱۶

Four female bank tellers complain to management that their female service manager and another female bank teller are sexually harassing them. The tellers allege that they regularly endure lewd and/or graphic sexual comments, gestures, pictures, and inappropriate touching and grabbing. They also allege that their manager makes invasive comments about their bodies and sex lives and has suggested they wear sexually provocative clothing in order to attract or retain customers and to advance in the workplace. One of the tellers complains: ‘‘I hate my job. The clothing they wear. . .the never-ending comments, gestures, images. . .you cannot escape it. Going to work is demeaning and humiliating.’’

Despite complaints being made to management about the work environment, the reports are not investigated and no action is taken. As a result, at least one of the tellers decides to quit her job rather than endure continued harassment. Ultimately, the four employees determine that their best option is to file a sexual harassment complaint with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).

But does their complaint have any merit? All of the employees involved are women. None of the behavior seems overtly sexual in nature. There were no explicit demands for sexual activity or favors in exchange for promotions or raises. The behavior probably doesn’t reach the level of harassment. Surely these thoughts went through the collective heads of management when these complaints were explained to them–—and perhaps this is why they took no action.