Legal Definitions - same-sex harassment

Definition: Same-sex harassment is a type of sexual harassment where a supervisor of the same sex as an employee engages in unwanted sexual behavior or comments that cause emotional distress and serve no legitimate purpose.

Example: A male supervisor repeatedly makes sexual comments and gestures towards a male employee, causing the employee to feel uncomfortable and anxious at work.

Explanation: In this example, the male supervisor's behavior towards the male employee is unwanted and serves no legitimate purpose in the workplace. The behavior causes emotional distress for the employee, which is a key element of harassment. This behavior is considered same-sex harassment because the supervisor and employee are of the same sex.