Flirting or harassment?

Oh yes there is a distinction between FLIRTING and HARASSMENT... The difference depends on the motive and intention who would initiate the act. Flirting on one hand based on your illustration is, the boss invites the woman for a drink and the girl refused. Nothing follows, that is flirting per se. It becomes harassment when after the woman refused for said invitation followed by a threat from the boss to forget any promotion. It is pure flirting when said boss or superior shows affections and no sign of forcing the girl to accept the favor or no blackmailing when declined. On the other hand, it is harassment when the boss takes advantage of his position and forces the woman to accept his invitations in exchange of any future favor like promotion from work or indecent proposals.

hiiiii really its an good topic to discuss and very less people differentitae it. actually flirting is that in just easy mood you are trying to attract an person with your various activities so its totally different from harrassement. in flirting a girl can either talk to you or can ignore you but dhe is free to do what she like she is free to take descision of her own and we can only try to convince her but there is totally different conditon in harssaement in that u try to force the girl to be agry with your condition that you want to be fulfilled. in that no option is left with the girl she has to obey you at any cost wether she desired to do or not. you treat that girl as an animal not as a humn and you have no feeling for her you just want your desireness to be fulfilled by standing on her weakness that you came to know. so in my opinion flirting is good you should do that that a parts of life but care to be taken that no one harrass anty one and if he do so strict action should be takenagainst himand than pnly this can be stopped.bye take care

I belive that today there is a very fine line between the two. Some people would do anything for romance and with some its "cute" and "lovely" and "sweet" but with others it goes to creepy and stalking. It all depends how its done. Now a man might ask a woman out and she might say no because she is playing hard to get and then poor guy what ddoes he do ask her again or not? when its in such things where authority is in question then there are other things to be considered. And the best rule is no office dating. To me harassment is when I say no and no and no and the person does not get it or uses his power to make me go out with him.

Asking the worker out for a drink is one thing (probably not a great idea, as it inevitably ends in tears down the track and can interfere with a good working relationship) - but getting nasty when she declines, and making threats about her not gaining promotion at work is definitely harrassment. Workers have every right to feel safe at work, and not frightened of having to 'sleep with the boss', so to speak, in order to advance. This boss is a despicable creature - I would say it was more threatening than flirtatious.

Harassment takes in different form - verbal, physical and emotional abuse. The one you mentioned is "Verbal Abuse" when the Boss uses his power to threaten one of his lady co-workers of her "possible" job position. This needs to escalate to their Human Resource department. This is also called discrimination the way the Boss made the threat. You can not be promoted unless you have a drinking session with the Boss???? Where in the company guidelines is that? That's abuse of power to me.

It reminds me a famous movie in our china called A Flirting Scholar.That's very funny and it contains many ironies.But nowadays,there are some men who have talents and are gentleman-like in public but indecent under the table.Now it seems that it is very common to be harassed at work.More and more men in high class are likely to be this kind of people.Thus,women are likely to be silent about their harassment because of their fearness or shameness.But you're right,flirting is a way of showing love to someone and harassment is a totally nasty behavior.I think woman should resort to the court when they encounter harassment.

There is a big difference between harassment and flirting. Harassment keeps happening where as flirting if it is one sided will stop after the person flirting gets turned down. When your boss tells you you won't get a promotion because you didn't go for a drink, that is 100% harassment. NO ONE should have to do that to get a promotion.

I would say that harassment is more then just telling a woman she will be fired. The boss has to make improper advancements, and give her the opinion that he will actually fire her. She has to see his eyes. If he is twinkling and he smiles, it is just in fun and it is a flirt, but if they look serious, he is harassing her and usually in those cases, he tries to make himself obnoxious like bumping her, trying to touch her b- (well either the top or the rear end,) tries to look up he, etc.

I thought it was harassment if it is one sided and flirting takes two.In other words if the boss and a co worker are talking and they get to the subject of food and they are having fun and then the boss asks the co worker out to dinner then it is fine, especially if the co worker really wants to go out. But if the boss tries to flirt and all his/her attempts fall flat and the co worker feels uncomfortable or feels like they Have to go out with the boss, then it is harassment.

There's just a fine line between harassment and flirting.. Flirting comes mostly thru words but not actions.. Flirting can be shown by emotions too.. ANd both are willing parties.. But harassment, comes in the form of actions, and most of the time, it's unwanted attraction that affects their life or work.. It's something which is disturbing to them, and that they are not willing parties..

It is inappropriate for a boss to flirt with his workers. If he shows favoritism for a person he is dating, then everyone else in the department is being discriminated against because they are not in a relationship with the boss. A boss, also, shouldn't flirt with an employee because said person might be unfairly predisposed to be nice instead of honest in their reactions. What I mean by this is that she might be uncomfortably pushed into tolerating his (her) advances by fear of consequences even if such is not stated or directly implied. Given the difference in position, the idea is unwise, I think.

To me there is a distinction. I used to flirt with one of my ex boss. I will always have a smile special one at that for him. He knew that I was attracted to him and he did't cared that I was flirting with him. Because I was getting the work done. Now harrassment to me is that if I know that I am getting the work done and there is an opening and my ex boss comes to me and in order for me to receive this I have to go on a date with him, allow him to have his hand all over me then I will certainly filing a police report against him. To me nothing wrong with flirting as long as it is done in a respective way. There was one time I went into his office and this lady say the smile and said MW why Kerri giving you that smile and he answered and said that is kerri. Then I saw that he was not welcoming my smile and I suggest what happen in his office the day and he laugh and said don't worry. Then our little drama begins again. You see you have to show respect and respect will be given back to you. Happy Holidays

if i like him its not harrashment its flirting but if i dont like and i hate him the way he behave as a coworker yes i would say its harrashment

There is a definite difference between the two, but, you don't want either in the workplace because both can put the receiver (usually a woman) in a very compromising position. Not a very good situation to be in while in the workplace. It's always best to keep your private life and your work life separate. Purrs, Catwoman=^..^= & Mija

I don't think a boss should really start flirting with his/her employees/subordinates. Even for it to happen the other way around can easily cause problems.

That's why many companies are drawing a solid line between management and subordinates for dating. I think flirting happens and is either reciprocated or not. If the other party declines, then any further action could be taken as harassment.

One time I was leasing a car from a used car lot. The guy grabbed on my butt. After that i started taking someone with me everytime I went up there. It never happened again. He would try every now and then to get me in his office alone, but I would always make my friend go back with me.