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workplace harassment JUST WRITTEN FOR YOU

/ˈwɜːrkˌpleɪs həˈræsmənt/ · work·place har·as·sment
noun
  1. Unwanted conduct or behavior directed at an employee that creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work environment. The firm instituted mandatory training after multiple complaints of workplace harassment were filed.
  2. A legal term for conduct that violates anti‑discrimination statutes by targeting a protected characteristic within an employment setting. Under Title VII, repeated racial slurs constitute workplace harassment.
Did you know? The phrase gained legal prominence after the 1978 U.S. Supreme Court case Meritor Savings Bank v. Vinson, which recognized a hostile work environment as a form of workplace harassment.
Written by Lexi Wordsworth, Dictionary Editor 0 lookups Added Jul 15, 2026