Theodore Roosevelt
Origins of Sexual Harassment and Its Expanding Laws
The EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission) defined sexual harassment as “an experience that reasonable person in the same or comparable circumstances would find to be intimidating, hostile, or abusive.” This definition may seem clear and defined in terms of the law, but it is not. Early in the United State of America there were no laws. Majority of workers were treated to low pay and poor working conditions. At this stage the United States had a large immigration population. Over time these people settled, became more educated and were more inclined to disagree with their poor working conditions.
More changes evolved with discrimination laws growing. The freeing of the slaves in 1865 and the far reaching Civil Rights Act of 1964 are two of the dominant changes. One major part of the act was that a person could not be “discriminated against due to their...sex” (“Civil Rights Act” 1964). The case law grew from 1964. It is important to note that America as a nation is constantly changing. According to (Zimbroff, 2007) emigrants keep redefining what is and what is not acceptable in society. It is important to note that according to (Walsh, 2009) sexual harassment laws are defined in a subjective tone. Many countries such as Europe have a labor law system to deal with complaints regarding labor issues.
To depict the developments of sexual harassment over the last thirty years or so, it is important to look at how employment law has developed over the last number of centuries. From the late sixteen hundreds through the seventeen hundreds workers initiated the process of organizing groups to fight against barbaric employers. American workers have had to fight for their rights. Many states have an “at will” employment law. This type of labor law leaves many employees vulnerable. The government has passed a number of laws to assist employees. An example of this is Wisconsin enacting the first
The EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission) defined sexual harassment as “an experience that reasonable person in the same or comparable circumstances would find to be intimidating, hostile, or abusive.” This definition may seem clear and defined in terms of the law, but it is not. Early in the United State of America there were no laws. Majority of workers were treated to low pay and poor working conditions. At this stage the United States had a large immigration population. Over time these people settled, became more educated and were more inclined to disagree with their poor working conditions.
More changes evolved with discrimination laws growing. The freeing of the slaves in 1865 and the far reaching Civil Rights Act of 1964 are two of the dominant changes. One major part of the act was that a person could not be “discriminated against due to their...sex” (“Civil Rights Act” 1964). The case law grew from 1964. It is important to note that America as a nation is constantly changing. According to (Zimbroff, 2007) emigrants keep redefining what is and what is not acceptable in society. It is important to note that according to (Walsh, 2009) sexual harassment laws are defined in a subjective tone. Many countries such as Europe have a labor law system to deal with complaints regarding labor issues.
To depict the developments of sexual harassment over the last thirty years or so, it is important to look at how employment law has developed over the last number of centuries. From the late sixteen hundreds through the seventeen hundreds workers initiated the process of organizing groups to fight against barbaric employers. American workers have had to fight for their rights. Many states have an “at will” employment law. This type of labor law leaves many employees vulnerable. The government has passed a number of laws to assist employees. An example of this is Wisconsin enacting the first
References: Goodman-Delahunty Jane (1998, February) Approaches to Gender and the Law. Glazer S (1996 July) Crackdown on Sexual Harassment retrieved from www.thefreeonlincelibrary.com Jack In The Box Sued for Sexual Harassment (2009) retrieved from www.eeoc.gove/newsroom/release/12-23-09a.cfm Zimbraff J (May 2007) Cultural differences in perceptions of and responses to ...(n.d). Retrieved from