What type of sexual harassment involves coercion for economic benefits?

Quid pro quo harassment is the type of sexual harassment that directly involves coercion for economic benefits or job-related advantages. This occurs when a person in a position of authority, such as a supervisor or manager, requests sexual favors in exchange for benefits that could affect a subordinate's employment. These benefits might include promotions, raises, job security, or other forms of economic compensation.

In a quid pro quo situation, the power dynamics often play a crucial role, as the individual in the subordinate position may feel pressured to comply with the request to avoid negative consequences or to gain positive recognition. This form of harassment is legally actionable because it directly ties the request for sexual favors to employment outcomes, violating anti-discrimination laws.

Other types of harassment, such as hostile work environment harassment, involve behavior that creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work environment but do not specifically involve a direct exchange of economic benefits for sexual favors. Retaliation harassment relates to punishing an employee for engaging in legally protected activity, such as filing a complaint about harassment, while racial harassment pertains to discrimination based on an individual's race and is unrelated to sexual harassment dynamics.