I Got a Job After Agreeing to a Sexual Relationship With my Supervisor. If I Agreed, is it Still Sexual Harassment?
When you file a claim of sexual harassment, two of the more important areas to be considered would be consent and unwanted advances. There may also be concerns with coercion and quid pro quo that would make the situation more complicated. But what happens if you agree to sex with your supervisor to get a job or promotion? Once again, classifying it as sexual harassment requires more questions to be answered.
Consent
Consent to a sexual act requires both parties to be agreeable to the act and accepting of the consequences. Coercion occurs when a victim is tricked into a sexual act, normally by someone in a position of authority. The aggressor might promise a promotion or make it sound like a sex act is all part of the normal process. When consent is given in this context, the act can still be considered sexual harassment because acts of coercion are considered acts of sexual harassment.
The story can be very different if the victim is well aware of what is going on and is not influenced by the attempt at coercion. When a victim gives consent to a sex act while understanding all of the consequences and the context of the situation, including the fact that a promotions may be in the office, generally that victim is no longer a victim and that is not a case of sexual coercion.
Unwanted Advances
Still, a situation that starts with a person in authority making unwanted advances that eventually results in a quid pro quo arrangement of exchanging sex for a job can be considered sexual harassment. In this situation, it would take an experienced attorney to review the situation and determine if the victim received the job in return for an unwanted sexual favor. Quid pro quo means exchanging something for an expected reward. When a company manager exchanges a job for an unwanted sexual act, then generally that can be considered quid pro quo sexual harassment.
Legal Guidance
Sometimes a victim does not believe they are a victim until they look back and review what actually happened. People with managerial influence who coerce employees into sex acts in returns for raises and promotions sometimes rely on those employees to feel like they were at fault in some way. It could turn out that it was indeed sexual harassment.
We encourage you to contact our sexual harassment attorneys if you feel that you have been the victim of sexual harassment. We will review your case and explain your legal options while acting as your legal representation.