Step 6: Third Party—Types of Sexual Harassment
Third Party Harassment could be either quid pro quo or hostile environment harassment. The important factor is that someone besides the intended person gets offended or feels uncomfortable in the situation. An employer can be held liable for third party harassment if they know, or should have known about the harassment and failed to take action to correct it.
Example
Jim eats lunch in a cafeteria every day. He always gets his food and sits down with his laptop at one of the tables. Shelly, a member of the cafeteria staff, sees Jim visit inappropriate web sites, which she finds distasteful and offensive. She assumed it was accidental, but the next day he did the same thing.
If Shelly's supervisor learned about the situation, the supervisor would have to take action to mend the situation to avoid liability.
The following clip is an example of what may become Third Party Harassment.