NCJ Number
139445
Journal
Journal of Contemporary Criminal Justice Volume: 8 Issue: 3 Dated: (August 1992) Pages: 217-226
Date Published
1992
Length
10 pages
Annotation
Although most work forces have more equal opportunity in employment than a generation ago, discrimination and sexual harassment are still prevalent.
Abstract
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Equal Employment Opportunity Act of 1972 improved civil rights, and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission was charged in 1980 with establishing guidelines on discrimination and sexual harassment. The most widely recognized court case involving sexual harassment was the 1986 landmark case of Meritor Savings Bank v. Vinson. In this case, the U.S. Supreme Court found that discrimination based on sexual conduct could be established in terms of the theory of a hostile, offensive, or intimidating work environment. Another key aspect of the case was that voluntary participation of the plaintiff should not be an issue in proving sexual harassment; rather, the focus should be on whether alleged sexual advances were unwelcome. Although sexual harassment is becoming more well- defined, trying to define hostile, offensive, or intimidating behavior is still problematic for most employers. Changes occurring in the work environment may create an atmosphere of distrust among employees. Further, people in professions such as law enforcement and firefighting may have particular difficulty adjusting to work force diversity. Problems associated with defining what constitutes acceptable and unacceptable behavior are discussed, as well as the inclination of courts to make employers more responsible for setting professional and acceptable standards in the work environment. 16 references