California has long been ahead of many other states in protecting its workers against harassment and discrimination. Now, the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has published updated guidance to make it clearer than ever what sort of behavior is unacceptable in the workplace.
If you have been feeling uncomfortable at work, read on to get a better understanding of whether the behavior you experienced might classify as harassment:
Intersectional harassment
Some people have some strange ideas about others. For instance, they might not like gay people or Black people, but have a particular problem with gay black people and come out with inappropriate comments based on the cross-section of those two protected characteristics.
Or an employer might be trying to cut their workforce, and they target their two least favorite groups of people first – women and anyone over 60. If you are a 62 woman, you might be at the very top of their list of people to push out the door, no matter how great you are at your job and how much longer you have been there than others.
Intraclass harassment
People often think that people harass only those who are different from them. Yet, some people can turn against people with whom they share characteristics, because of the characteristics they share. For instance, a female manager who has fought tooth and nail to get to the top might do all she can to make sure that no other female is ever promoted to the same level as her. It could still amount to gender harassment, even though the perpetrator and victim are both of the same gender.
Those are just two of the new clarifications the EEOC has issued. If someone is making you feel uncomfortable at work, it may be worth seeking legal guidance to assess whether what they are doing amounts to harassment.