As an employee, you are entitled to a safe and stress-free work environment. While most employers take every step to ensure this, it is not uncommon for an employee to be sexually harassed at work. And as you can imagine, this can be very stressful, to say the least.
One of the most subtle, yet common, forms of sexual harassment is quid pro quo. But what exactly is this and how does it happen?
Understanding quid pro quo
Quid pro quo (Latin for “this for that”) harassment happens when an employer or someone in a position of authority, like a supervisor offers work-related benefits in exchange for a sexual relationship with an employee or a prospective employee. An example would be a situation where your immediate supervisor suggests something like, “I can help you get that promotion. But you’ll have to date me in return.”
Proving quid pro quo
To successfully file a quid pro quo sexual harassment claim, you will need to establish the following:
- That there existed an employment relationship between you and the perpetrator
- That the perpetrator made sexual advances or comments toward you
- That the perpetrator was in a position of making or influencing decisions regarding your employment situation.
- That the perpetrator explicitly or implicitly made propositions that impacted your employment status either directly or indirectly.
Despite increased awareness and campaigns, sexual harassment is still a big problem in the workplace. Understanding your legal rights following an incident of sexual harassment at work can help you fight for justice.
