It is unlawful for an employer to harass an applicant or employee because of that person’s sex. For instance, it is illegal for an employer to make unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical gestures of a sexual nature.

It is important to understand, however, that sexual harassment does not have to be of a sexual nature. It is illegal, for example, to harass a woman by making offensive comments about women in general.

Sexual harassment can come from just about anyone. The harasser can be the victim’s supervisor, a supervisor in another area, a co-worker, or someone who is not an employee of the employer, such as a client or customer. Further, both the victim and the harasser can be either a woman or a man, and the victim and harasser can be the same sex.