Discrimination in the workplace, including harassment, can create a hostile and uncomfortable work environment. In the United States, employees who believe they have been discriminated against or harassed can file a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). The EEOC is a federal agency responsible for enforcing laws that prohibit workplace discrimination.
Discrimination can take many forms, including discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), national origin, age (40 or older), disability, or genetic information. Harassment is a form of discrimination that involves unwelcome conduct that is based on a person’s protected characteristic and that creates a hostile or offensive work environment. Quid pro quo harassment occurs when someone makes a job benefit contingent on submitting to sexual advances or other unwelcome conduct.