Workplace harassment is a phenomenon that causes immense problems to a good number of people in the workplace. Out of the multiple manifestations, the one type distinguished by the straight exchange of power and advantage stands as quid pro quo harassment.
Let’s explore the full answer to the question:
“In _____________ harassment, something is given or withheld in exchange for something else.”
A) Hostile work environment
B) Physical
C) Verbal
D) Quid pro quo
Correct Answer: D) Quid pro quo
Explanation:
Quid pro quo type of harassment comes into play when an employee with a high position of authority solicits sexual forms of favour or indecent behaviour in exchange for a reward in terms of job-related favors or just to avert a doom. The term quid pro quo is a Latin term, which simply means, this in exchange of that, and this is what occurs in this type of harassment. It is the scenario of one individual presenting or withholding something of professional worth depending on the manner in which a particular individual reacts to the wrong requests.
Examples include:
- A supervisor implying that a promotion depends on going out for drinks or more intimate encounters.
- Threatening to fire someone if they don’t engage in certain behavior.
- Offering a raise in exchange for romantic involvement.
A hostile work environment displaying repetitive, obnoxious conduct. The progression of quid pro quo harassment involves an emotional connection with a condition of employment. It also very directly and expressly triggers a reaction to sexual advances allotted to a solitary individual.
What is Quid Pro Quo?
Quid pro quo is a legal form of sexual harassment at the workplaces. It generally entails:
- An individual with authority of command such as a supervisor or manager.
- Straight up quid pro quo: a favor that makes or keeps one in a job (a raise, a promotion, or a job) in exchange for a sexual favor or inappropriate behavior.
- Unbalanced power in the sense that one party is able to influence the other party’s career.
Legal Aspects:
Quid pro quo harassment is inadmissible in the majority of countries (and in the U.S., as well). The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) considers it to be a violation. Titles include Title VII of the Civil Rights of 1964.
Key Elements:
- The favor sought has to relate clearly to the work effect.
- The receiving party may or not complete the request, that does not matter, it is the request or the corroborating that makes it harassment.
- Consent does not matter when abuse of power comes in play. Bearing in mind that the victim may agree under pressure, it can even amount to harassment.
FAQs
Q1: Can quid pro quo harassment occur outside of the workplace?
Yes, it can occur in any educational establishment or volunteer association. Basically, any place with an imbalance of power and inappropriate requirements for benefits.
Q2: Is it still harassment if the person agrees to the request?
Yes. In the cases when a person becomes a subject of pressure owing to the status of the other party, the consent can term as a coerced one. The lack of balance in power makes the situation problematic even in case there is no outright refusal.
Q3: Who can be held responsible in a quid pro quo harassment case?
The person who made the demand and the employer (in case he or she did not make corrective action or prevent it) can be responsible.
Q4: What should I do if I experience quid pro quo harassment?
Record all events, refuse solitary excursion, notify the HR or an authority figure, and consult a lawyer in case of necessity. The majority of the labor laws protect against retaliation against people reporting harassment.
