This course is provided to all Texas State Agencies for the purpose of providing training on Sexual Harassment. This course does not meet the requirements of Texas Labor Code Chapter 21.010 on EEO Training. That course can be accessed here: https://softchalkcloud.com/lesson/serve/MQBWTo9xcft7j6/html A minimum score of 70 percent is required in order to complete the course. Help […]

  Everyone has the right to work in an environment free from harassment. We all need to be aware of how our actions and behaviors affect others.   To eliminate harassment, we need to understand it. This lesson will help you recognize those sexual harassment behaviors.  

  This course will help you answer the following questions: What is sexual harassment? What behaviors might be considered harassment? How can you recognize risky behaviors? How can you help prevent sexual harassment? What effects do harassment and discrimination have on others? What do you do if you are a possible victim of or a […]

The basis for this training comes from various laws and legislation. There are a number of major laws that protect employees from unlawful discriminatory practices. These laws with amendments are listed below. Federal Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 Equal Pay Act of 1963 Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 Rehabilitation […]

 Unlawful employment practices include: Discrimination Harassment Retaliation

To “discriminate” against someone means to treat that person differently, or less favorably, because of their membership in one or more protected classes. This is generally defined as unfair treatment because of your protected class. Discrimination is usually based on stereotypes or assumptions about the abilities, traits, or performance of people or groups.   There […]

Harassment based on a Protected Class becomes unlawful when: Enduring the offensive conduct becomes a condition of continued employment The conduct is severe or pervasive enough to create a work environment that a reasonable person would consider intimidating, hostile, or abusive Offensive conduct may include, but is not limited to, offensive jokes, slurs, epithets or […]

Each agency or institution should encourage employees to bring forward concerns about their work and the work environment and to seek resolution within their supervisory chain, when possible. If you encounter harassment at work: Tell the harasser that the behavior is unwelcome—verbally, in writing, through a third party, or in some other way. If you […]

What are the remedies for discrimination? The remedies available will depend on the facts of the case and the law involved. They may include: Making the complainant whole, which essentially would put the plaintiff back into the situation they would have been in if the discrimination had not occurred Reinstatement and hiring with no loss […]

  Sexual harassment is a type of sex discrimination. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) defines sexual harassment as unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature when: Submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of an individual’s employment, […]

The laws against sexual harassment are designed to protect you from harassment by your boss, your supervisors, your co-workers, and customers or clients that you interact with in the workplace. These laws apply to both men and women, and prohibit sexual harassment whether it is directed at someone of the same or the opposite sex. […]

• These changes took effect 9/1/21 • The deadline to file a sexual harassment complaint from the time of the incident is 300 days. For all other type of complaints, the date to file is within 180 days. Again, this is from the last date of harm. • The law updates the definition of an […]

  Sexual harassment may occur in or outside the workplace, and in all occupations and professions, educational backgrounds, age, racial and ethnic groups, and income levels. We each have the responsibility to treat others with respect. If you stay aware of your responsibility and assert your rights to a respectful work environment, you will have […]

  Every situation is different, but we all need to be aware of how our actions affect others. There are different forms of sexual harassment—some are obvious and some are subtle. Sexual harassment begins with unwelcomed sexual conduct. The conduct can include sexual remarks, unwanted physical contact, sharing memes or videos of a sexual nature, […]

  “Quid pro quo” is Latin for “this for that” or “something for something.” Quid pro quo harassment occurs when employment decisions or expectations are based upon an employee’s tolerance or intolerance of behavior based on sex. “Have sex with me and you will get promoted.” or “Have sex with me or you won’t get […]

  My supervisor Hank told me this morning that I looked pretty. He touched my hair and told me that he had watched me walk across the parking lot earlier on the way into work. Hank said that he couldn’t believe that he had such an attractive employee. I told him that his comments made […]

Could Hannah be a victim of quid pro quo sexual harassment? Choose the answer below you think is correct.

  Hostile work environment is more complex than quid pro quo. In order to be considered a hostile work environment, the conditions must be: Objectively offensive The question is whether a reasonable person would find the conduct offensive. Conduct can be physical touching, offensive words, or other behaviors. Subjectively offensive The conduct has to be […]

How do the courts decide whether a particular behavior should reasonably be considered sexual harassment? Since not everyone interprets behaviors in the same way, the courts judge whether a ”reasonable person” would find the behavior offensive. The reasonable person standard considers how a reasonable man or woman would view the victim’s experience. Since not everyone […]

Risky behaviors that can contribute to hostile work environment sexual harassment fall into four main groups:   Verbal Sexual or gender-based jokes or teasing Comments about a person’s clothing or body Requests for sexual favors Obscene text or emails Nonverbal Looking up and down a person’s body Unwanted sexual looks or gestures Sexual gestures with […]

But, what if an employee is harassed for not being masculine or feminine enough? Harassment based on sex stereotyping, if severe or pervasive, can be sexual harassment. Therefore, a female employee who is discriminated against because she wears pants or other neutral clothing may be able to argue that she faced discrimination based on sex […]

  It is important for people to feel welcome and respected in the workplace. Although you may not mean to offend others, you should think about how other employees may react to what you say or what you do before you act. Sexual harassment takes a wide variety of forms, some mild and others severe. […]

What may seem innocent behavior to you may make someone else uncomfortable. Take a look at the behaviors on this page. Would you consider this behavior welcome, unwelcome, or it depends? Select an option below to see how it may be recognized.

All of these behaviors may seem innocent to you, but to someone else these behaviors make them uncomfortable. It is important for everyone to recognize that differences may exist. Your assumptions about another person’s feelings may not be correct. You should exercise restraint and consult with others before acting on your assumptions.

  The harasser’s intent is not relevant. The harasser may feel his or her behavior is within the boundaries of appropriate behavior. Many harassers do not see their behavior as inappropriate. What one person sees as harmless or innocuous may be offensive to another person. The focus is on the impact or effect of the […]

  Most of us enjoy a good laugh. Humor can relieve tension and energize, but teasing and sarcasm are high-risk ways of communicating. What might be funny to you might be grossly offensive to your co-worker. Remember that only the impact, not the intent, matters. “It was just a joke” is not an excuse for […]

  Most adults who pause to think about it can distinguish between what might be perceived as welcome and unwelcome behavior, especially if they think carefully about how others might react. Here are some guidelines to avoid committing unwelcome behavior: Think before acting. Respect the people around you. Be sensitive to diverse perspectives and feelings. […]

Is calling a person “honey” or “sweetie” sexual harassment? Probably not by itself. But remember that people rarely file complaints about a single incident. They usually file because of an accumulation of incidents. What you think of as an endearment could just be one thing in a hostile work environment.

  When deciding whether or not to do something, you may ask yourself: How would I feel if I was in the position of the recipient? Would my spouse, parent, or friend like to be treated this way? Could my behavior offend or hurt other members of the work group? Could someone misinterpret my behavior […]

We spend so much of our lives at work that it is only natural that sometimes romance happens there. While office romances are not illegal, they can create problems. Examples of problems are: It may raise concerns for favoritism. It may be distracting to other employees. If those involved in a relationship engage in behaviors […]

  The costs of sexual harassment can be very high, both financially and emotionally, to victims and employers. Everyone involved feels its negative effects. Sexual harassment can lead to real consequences if not addressed properly. Sexual harassment can take a heavy toll on its victims. They can suffer a variety of symptoms: Loss of physical […]

   Let’s review the guidelines again. If you encounter harassment at work: Tell the harasser directly to stop. If you are uncomfortable confronting the harasser or the behavior continues, report the harassment to your supervisor, or that person’s superior, or human resources and follow your employer’s complaint process. Once you report the situation, your employer […]

  One reason people are hesitant about reporting sexual harassment is because they are concerned about potential retaliation. Clearly written policies that prohibit retaliation can reduce employees’ fear of reporting sexual harassment. The same laws that prohibit sexual harassment discrimination based on sex also prohibit retaliation against individuals who oppose unlawful discrimination or participate in […]

  If you see harassment happening, you have the responsibility to report it. Reporting sexual harassment and discrimination is important because it can prevent future incidents from occurring and remove a source of intimidation or tension from the workplace. Incidents of sexual harassment must be addressed as quickly and effectively as possible to prevent possible […]

  The best method to stop harassment and discrimination is to prevent it from happening. Prevention begins with an attitude that harassment in any form will not be tolerated. Employers and management staff are responsible for: Providing a clear sexual harassment and discrimination policy of no tolerance Distributing the policy Training their staff on sexual […]

Effective policy should: be written in clear, straightforward, understandable language describe the actions that can constitute illegal harassment define the penalties for engaging in harassing behavior educate employees about their right to complain about sexual harassment be made easily accessible to all employees assure employees that all complaints are taken seriously and investigated promptly reassure […]

Inappropriate behavior in the workplace can make people feel uncomfortable. However, not every act that may be offensive to an individual or group constitutes sexual harassment. Read the questions and situations below and choose the best answer. SCREEN READER USERS: Arrow down through the questions. The radio button for each answer comes before the text. […]

  Preventing sexual harassment and discrimination is not a one-time effort—it’s an ongoing process of communicating workplace values. The best way to ensure a harassment-free workplace is to reinforce positive behaviors and confront inappropriate ones. Your goal is to prevent harassment and discrimination and to stop the inappropriate behavior before it becomes a complaint.

You must have answered 11 out of the 15 questions correct to pass the course. If you scored less than 11 correct answers on the test questions, you will not get credit for the class. You will need to close and reopen the course to reset the score tracking feature before retaking the training. If […]