Topic: Workplace Sexual Harassment
Country: United States
Delegate Name: Mohamed Omran
School: Forest Hills Northern High School
Topic page: background guide and all position papers All United States position papers GLIMUN 2018 committees
Due to threats towards careers, promotions, and possible punishments, victims of sexual assault in the workplace have a difficult time taking legal action against their perpetrators, considering that their employment is in their hands. These unwelcome acts of verbal, visual, and physical harassment appear commonly in workplaces around the world and are often hard to validate due to lack of evidence. However, many policies on harassment and abuse of power already exist to define sexual harassment in the workplace and abate further occurrences of assault. Although verdicts of Supreme Court cases have enforced the United States law on workplace sexual harassment, over 80% of employed women have suffered through some type of sexual harassment while working. The law of the United States recognizes two types of workplace sexual harassment: quid pro quo harassment and hostile work environment harassment. The former occurs when an employee tolerates sexual harassment to keep their job, receive a tangible benefit, or avoid punishment, and the latter occurs when persistent sexual behavior unreasonably interferes with an employee's ability to work. Both types have been challenged in various Supreme Court cases and defended with title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This section prohibits employment discrimination based on sex and states that employers are responsible for actionable discrimination caused by a supervisor. The United States also enacted the Civil Rights Act of 1991, allowing women to sue and collect compensation for damages caused by sexual discrimination or harassment. Furthermore, the United States has signed the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and in the future may consider ratification. Regarding solutions for this ever-present issue of harassment in the workplace, the United States will continue to support all resolutions that take preventative measures against sexual harassment in the workplace. Any efforts that make resolutions more specific towards the protection of women and women only will be favored. Women are an integral part of the society and the economy of the United States and must be protected; if women have better protection while at work, the economies of countries all over the world will thrive.
