Many localities enforce laws protecting individuals from sexual harassment and discrimination. An individual should contact the county, city or town in which they live to find out if such a law exists. For example, employees who work in New York City may file complaints of sexual harassment with the New York City Commission on Human Rights. Contact their main office at:
Law Enforcement Bureau of the NYC Commission on Human Rights
40 Rector Street, 10th Floor
New York, NY, 10006 or (212) 306-7450
Website
Sexual harassment can occur between males and females, or between persons of the same sex. Sexual harassment that occurs because the victim is transgender is also unlawful. A single incident of inappropriate sexual behavior may be enough to rise to the level of sexual harassment, depending on the severity of such an incident. The law requires that the behavior be severe or pervasive, so that one joke or comment may not be enough to be sexual harassment. However, the courts have held that a single incident could be considered sexual harassment, depending on the circumstances.