Harassment on the basis of disability can consist of verbal, gesturing, or aggressive conduct that demeans or shows aversion toward a person because of that person’s disability. Such conduct creates an offensive, intimidating, or hostile work environment, interferes with work performance, and adversely affects employment opportunities. Some examples of disability harassment might include:
- An employee with cerebral palsy being made fun of due to the way they speak
- Coworkers calling a person with a disability “retard” or “cripple”
- Coworkers tampering with a person’s wheelchair or intentionally putting up barriers, making movement around the work space difficult
- Intentionally bumping into a person with a visual impairment
It is illegal to harass an applicant or employee because he has a disability, had a disability in the past, or is believed to have a physical or mental impairment that is not transitory (lasting or expected to last six months or less) and minor (even if he does not have such an impairment).
Pregnancies are viewed by many as a temporary disability. Harassment of a woman because of her pregnancy may be viewed as a form of disability harassment.
Not only is sexual harassment illegal. The law also prohibits:
- Racial harassment
- Religious harassment
- Age-based harassment
- Harassment based on disability
- Harassment based on ethnicity or national origin
- Retaliation
Most people are familiar with workplace sexual harassment claims. Harassment in professional, business, and educational relationships are also illegal.
Sexual Harassment Topics: