美国工作场所性骚扰雇主民事责任之研究

Civil Liabilities of the Employer for Sexual Harassment in Workplace in the USA

工作场所性骚扰在美国被认为是性别歧视行为和对妇女平等工作、就业权的侵害行为,包括交换利益性骚扰和敌意工作环境性骚扰两种形式。对于交换利益性骚扰,雇主应承担严格责任;对于敌意工作环境性骚扰,应根据性骚扰者属管理者或职员的不同身份,适用不同的归责原则,但雇主得以自己无过错而提出抗辩。美国联邦法院通过合理的证据规则、专家证人制度以及惩罚性赔偿制度的运用,更有利于对受害人的保护。

Sexual harassment in the workplace is deemed as a conduct of sexual discrimination and encroachment on women's rights to equal employment and work. It includes harassment by promise of favors and hostile harassment in the workplace. For sexual harassment by promise of favors the employer should bear strict liability. For hostile sexual harassment in workplace, different principles of burden- determination apply in accordance with the harasser's status. That differs from a manager to a staff member, while the employer may plead not guilty. By application of reasonable rules of evidence, establishment of the system of expert witness and the system of punitive restitution, the U.S. federal courts endeavor hard to protect the interests of victims.