Harassment is a type of workplace discrimination. It occurs when an employee receives unwelcome treatment from a peer or a supervisor. While some types of criticism of job performance do not rise to the level of harassment, in a legal sense, employees are protected from some forms of harassment by law.

If you feel like you are the victim of harassment, an employment lawyer can help you decide if someone in your workplace violated your rights.

What Laws Protect You Against Workplace Harassment?

The U.S. Equal Opportunity Employment Commission lists several laws that are meant to protect employees from harassment. These include the Civil Rights Act (Title VII), the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, and the Americans with Disabilities Act. Together, these statutes protect people from harassment due to age, gender, sexual orientation, nation of origin, race, or disability. Importantly, these laws also protect workers from retaliation (such as being fired or demoted) if they file an official complaint about harassment.