This lesson defines harassment, discrimination, and retaliation and provides practical examples to distinguish prohibited conduct from acceptable workplace behavior.
Definitions: Harassment, Discrimination, and Retaliation
This lesson defines harassment, discrimination, and retaliation and provides practical examples to distinguish prohibited conduct from acceptable workplace behavior.

Definitions and key concepts

Harassment is unwanted conduct based on a protected characteristic that creates a hostile, intimidating, or offensive work environment.

Discrimination involves treating someone unfavorably in decisions such as hiring, promotion, pay, or assignment because of protected attributes.

Retaliation is adverse action taken against someone for reporting harassment or participating in an investigation.

  • Racial slurs or derogatory comments about a person for their race
  • Denying a promotion due to gender identity
  • Punitive actions after a colleague files a complaint
Course Content
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