Sexual harassment most commonly involves male perpetrators and female victims, but under the law the sex of the parties involved does not matter. Additionally, it can come not only from a boss or supervisor, but from co-workers, subordinates, or even customers. Sex discrimination can occur in any aspect of employment, including hiring, firing, promotion, wages, and benefits.
Under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, there are two types of sexual harassment:

• Quid Pro Quo Harassment: When an employer makes sexual acts or favors a condition of employment, pay increases, promotions, or other benefits, courts refer to this as “quid pro quo” sexual harassment. Whether or not the employee accepts or rejects these demands, if the demands are unwanted then they are illegal. Any retaliation that occurs as a consequence of the employee rejecting these advances is also illegal.
• Hostile Workplace: Separately, some forms of sexual harassment become illegal because they create a hostile work environment. This occurs when behavior and conduct of a sexual nature is so severe and pervasive that an employee is prevented from performing their job. Hostile work environment cases are not limited to direct victims of this harassment in the workplace. They may also involve third-party witnesses to the harassment, for whom the harassment is so severe that it prevents them from effectively doing their job even though they are not directly involved.