In our recent post we reported that “Participating in sexual banter that was the norm in the “sexualized environment” of Sleep Country mattress stores in British Columbia cost an employee her sexual harassment claim.”   A couple reader comments caught our eye:

Claudia Orr, an employment attorney in the Detroit area commented:  “I have a Michigan client with a new CEO who had several complaints of sexual harassment against him during the first 3 or 4 months of his employment for commenting on the appearances of females in the work place. He is from the south and said he didn’t understand why they complained, that it is natural for a southern gentleman to compliment women about their appearances. I finally had to tell him he just had to stop acting southern! As I like to point out it is one thing to say that is a nice sweater … is it new? And another to say “nice sweater” while staring at the woman’s chest and salivating!”

Amy Stephson, an employment attorney in the Seattle area said:  “I do not think employers should allow a sexualized work environment. First, it can and often does lead to offensive and personal behavior that goes beyond group norms. Second, it can and does make employees uncomfortable. Third, it can and does lead to legal liability and complaints.   Zero tolerance is silly and not required, but I’d say 5-10% tolerance is a good limit (whatever that means….).”