What is a hostile work environment?

On Behalf of | Apr 4, 2018 | Sexual Harassment |

When it comes to sexual harassment in the workplace, many Minnesota residents will struggle with deciding what the best approach will be to attempt to solve the problem. For some, they may feel like they have enough clout with their employer for a direct confrontation about the problem, hoping that the employer will be shocked enough by the allegations to make an immediate change.

However, others will not feel as comfortable with their ability to bring about change on their own. Those individuals may need to pursue legal options, such as an official sexual harassment complaint, or even a lawsuit. In a lawsuit, the term “hostile work environment” will be a key legal component of the case. So, what is a hostile work environment?

In terms of a sexual harassment lawsuit, the term hostile work environment can be ambiguous, but, generally, it means that the harassment in question is so severe and so persistent that not only the victim must find it offensive, but so must any reasonable person. So, there is some subjectivity to the term.

For Minnesota residents who believe that they have been subjected to sexual harassment in the workplace, the immediate situation may not have them thinking about whether or not the conduct meets some legal definition that may be the crux of a civil lawsuit. But, it is something to consider. Any employees who believe that they need to make a stand against sexual harassment in the workplace may want to get more information about their own unique circumstances.