When does harassment become unlawful?

Harassment becomes unlawful when it creates a hostile work environment or when it interferes with an individual's ability to perform their job duties. This means that if the behavior is pervasive or severe enough to affect a person's work performance, create fear, or make it difficult for them to feel safe at their workplace, it crosses the line into being unlawful.

This criterion emphasizes the impact of the behavior on the victim's work life. It recognizes that even if incidents are not extreme or one-time events, the cumulative effect of harassment can be damaging, thus making it unlawful. Addressing harassment in a meeting may be a step toward resolution but does not automatically resolve the issue or classify it as lawful. Similarly, minor or one-time occurrences may not meet the threshold for unlawful harassment.