A regular keeps commenting on my body and my manager just laughs it off. Does my manager have to do something?

Step by step

1. 1If you’re in danger, get safe first. Walk away, get a manager or coworker, or call 911.
2. 2Tell the person it’s unwelcome, if it’s safe to. EEOC encourages this. Short is fine: “Please don’t comment on my body.”
3. 3Report it to a manager early, in writing. EEOC encourages reporting at an early stage, before it escalates. A text or email gives you a dated record.
4. 4Write down each incident: date, time, table, what was said or done, who saw it, and what the manager did.
5. 5Ask to be moved off that table or section while it’s dealt with.
6. 6If nothing changes, contact EEOC. Call 1-800-669-4000. There’s a deadline to file a charge: 180 days, extended to 300 days in some places.

Not tax or legal advice. Names are made up. Whether conduct is illegal is decided case by case.

Plain English

What counts as harassment

EEOC defines harassment as unwelcome conduct based on race, color, religion, sex (including sexual orientation, transgender status, or pregnancy), national origin, age 40 or older, disability, or genetic information. It becomes illegal when putting up with it is a condition of keeping your job, or when it’s severe or pervasive enough that a reasonable person would find the workplace intimidating, hostile, or abusive.

EEOC says sexual harassment includes unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical harassment of a sexual nature. It also says harassment doesn’t have to be sexual: offensive remarks about a person’s sex count. EEOC says petty slights, annoyances, and isolated incidents aren’t illegal unless they’re extremely serious.

Customers and coworkers

EEOC says the harasser can be a supervisor, a coworker, or someone who isn’t an employee, such as a client or customer. For coworkers and non-employees the employer controls, like customers on the premises, the employer is liable if it knew or should have known and didn’t take prompt and appropriate corrective action. Harassment by a supervisor has stricter rules for the employer.

Who’s covered, and deadlines

The federal law on sex harassment, Title VII, covers employers with 15 or more employees. EEOC says you have 180 days to file a charge, extended to 300 days where a state or local agency enforces a similar law. Your state may have its own rules; DOL keeps a list of state labor offices.

Retaliation

EEOC says the anti-discrimination laws also bar harassment in retaliation for filing a charge, taking part in an investigation, or opposing practices you reasonably believe are discriminatory. For pay complaints, see Can my hours be cut for complaining about pay?