Many teens face sexual harassment on the job

June 8, 2010

‘It continues to be an epidemic in many workplaces,’ says EEOC attorney

By Eve Tahmincioglu

msnbc.com contributor

June 7, 2010

Martha, 15, believes she was a victim of sexual harassment when she worked as a ski instructor last winter for a New Jersey resort, but she didn’t feel she could complain.

Her 60-year old manager didn’t assault her but he was “just creepy,” said Martha, who did not want her full name used. “He would put his arm around me and hold my shoulder. He would whisper in my ear, ‘Sweetie,’” she explained. “I could feel his breath in my ear.”

It was one of the first jobs she had ever had, so Martha — who was 14 at the time — asked her parents what she should do. “My mom was upset about it but my dad said, ‘Wait a while and see,’” she said.

Since the ski season was about to end, and Martha had no plans to work at the resort again, she decided to drop it and never went to her managers.

As teenagers get ready to head out to the nation’s malls, restaurants and resorts to start summer jobs, government officials and teen advocates want to caution young workers — and their parents — that sexual harassment is rampant in the workplace.

But getting girls and boys to report such acts has been a challenge because some teens are just too immature or ignorant of their rights. Others want to do well in those first gigs and not rock the boat.

Rest of the story here:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37320747/ns/business-careers/