Justice Management Division
Serving Justice - Securing Results

Sexual harassment occurs when employment decisions affecting an employee, such as hiring, firing, promotions, awards, transfers or disciplinary actions, result from submission to or rejection of unwelcome sexual conduct. Sexual harassment can also be any activity which creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work environment for members of one sex, whether such activity is carried out by a supervisor or by a co-worker. This could include such workplace conduct as displaying "pinup" calendars or sexually demeaning pictures, telling sexually oriented jokes, making sexually offensive remarks, engaging in unwanted sexual teasing, subjecting another employee to pressure for dates, sexual advances, or unwelcome touching.

Attorney General's Memo, Prevention of Sexual Harassment in the Workplace

The Department of Justice's policy is to maintain a working environment which is free from any form of harassment related to a person's sex, race, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation*, mental or physical disability. This policy prohibits sexual harassment of employees because it, like other forms of harassment, interferes with a productive working environment, interjects irrelevant considerations into personnel decisions, and generally demeans the victims of harassment. Moreover, sexual harassment is a violation of Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act.

*DOJ Sexual Orientation Complaint Procedures