sexual harassment
Defined in 4 places across 3 titles of the United States Code.
In this section, the term “sexual harassment” means any of the following:
(1) Conduct that—
(A) involves unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and deliberate or repeated offensive comments or gestures of a sexual nature when—
(i) submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of a person’s job, pay, or career;
(ii) submission to or rejection of such conduct by a person is used as a basis for career or employment decisions affecting that person; or
(iii) such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual’s work performance or creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working environment; and
(B) is so severe or pervasive that a reasonable person would perceive, and the victim does perceive, the environment as hostile or offensive.
(2) Any use or condonation, by any person in a supervisory or command position, of any form of sexual behavior to control, influence, or affect the career, pay, or job of a member of the armed forces or a civilian employee of the Department of Defense.
(3) Any deliberate or repeated unwelcome verbal comment or gesture of a sexual nature by any member of the armed forces or civilian employee of the Department of Defense.
Source
- 2021–202410 U.S.C. § 1561Armed Forces · Complaints of sexual harassment: investigation by commanding officers · in this section
In this section, the term “sexual harassment” means repeated, unsolicited verbal or physical contact of a sexual nature which is threatening in character.
Source
- 1994–202038 U.S.C. § 1720DVeterans Benefits · Counseling and treatment for sexual trauma · in this section
In this section, the term "sexual harassment" means unsolicited verbal or physical contact of a sexual nature which is threatening in character.
Source
- 2020–present38 U.S.C. § 1720DVeterans Benefits · Counseling and treatment for sexual trauma · in this section
Sexual Harassment Defined.—In this section, the term “sexual harassment” means any of the following:
(1) Conduct (constituting a form of sex discrimination) that—
(A) involves unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and deliberate or repeated offensive comments or gestures of a sexual nature when—
(i) submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of a person's job, pay, or career;
(ii) submission to or rejection of such conduct by a person is used as a basis for career or employment decisions affecting that person; or
(iii) such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual's work performance or creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working environment; and
(B) is so severe or pervasive that a reasonable person would perceive, and the victim does perceive, the work environment as hostile or offensive.
(2) Any use or condonation, by any person in a supervisory or command position, of any form of sexual behavior to control, influence, or affect the career, pay, or job of a member of the armed forces or a civilian employee of the Department of Defense.
(3) Any deliberate or repeated unwelcome verbal comment or gesture of a sexual nature in the workplace by any member of the armed forces or civilian employee of the Department of Defense.
Source
- 1997–201610 U.S.C. § 1561Armed Forces · Complaints of sexual harassment: investigation by commanding officers · in this section
Sexual Harassment Defined.—In this section, the term "sexual harassment" means any of the following:
(1) Conduct that—
(A) involves unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and deliberate or repeated offensive comments or gestures of a sexual nature when—
(i) submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of a person's job, pay, or career;
(ii) submission to or rejection of such conduct by a person is used as a basis for career or employment decisions affecting that person; or
(iii) such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual's work performance or creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working environment; and
(B) is so severe or pervasive that a reasonable person would perceive, and the victim does perceive, the environment as hostile or offensive.
(2) Any use or condonation, by any person in a supervisory or command position, of any form of sexual behavior to control, influence, or affect the career, pay, or job of a member of the armed forces or a civilian employee of the Department of Defense.
(3) Any deliberate or repeated unwelcome verbal comment or gesture of a sexual nature by any member of the armed forces or civilian employee of the Department of Defense.
Source
- 2016–202110 U.S.C. § 1561Armed Forces · Complaints of sexual harassment: investigation by commanding officers · in this section
"sexual harassment" means—
(A) conduct that—
(i) involves unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, or deliberate or repeated offensive comments or gestures of a sexual nature if any—
(I) submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of employment, pay, career, benefits, or entitlements of the individual;
(II) submission to, or rejection, of such conduct by an individual is used as a basis for decisions affecting that individual's job, pay, career, benefits, or entitlements;
(III) such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual's work performance or creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work environment; or
(IV) conduct may have been by an individual's supervisor, a supervisor in another area, a co-worker, or another credentialed mariner; and
(ii) is so severe or pervasive that a reasonable person would perceive, and the victim does perceive, the environment as hostile or offensive;
(B) any use or condonation associated with first-hand or personal knowledge, by any individual in a supervisory or command position, of any form of sexual behavior to control, influence, or affect the career, pay, benefits, entitlements, or employment of a subordinate; and
(C) any intentional or repeated unwelcome verbal comment or gesture of a sexual nature towards or about an individual by the individual's supervisor, a supervisor in another area, a coworker, or another credentialed mariner.
Source
- 2022–present46 U.S.C. § 2101Shipping · General definitions · in this subtitle
The term “sexual harassment” means conduct that constitutes the offense of sexual harassment as punishable under section 934 of this title (article 134) pursuant to the regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Defense for purposes of such section (article).
Source
- 2023–present10 U.S.C. § 1561Armed Forces · Complaints of sexual harassment: investigation by commanding officers · in this section
The term "sexual harassment" means unsolicited verbal or physical contact of a sexual nature which is threatening in character.
Source
- 2020–present38 U.S.C. § 533Veterans Benefits · Anti-harassment and anti-sexual assault policy · in this section