The Economics and Law of Sexual Harassment in the Workplace
- 1 August 2003
- journal article
- Published by American Economic Association in Journal of Economic Perspectives
- Vol. 17 (3) , 141-157
- https://doi.org/10.1257/089533003769204399
Abstract
Suppose a firm has a widespread reputation for sexually harassing its employees. When a person signs up to work for such a firm, it would appear that both the firm and the worker are better off by virtue of the ‘exchange’. Is there a case then for government to ban sexual harassment in the workplace? Starting from this question, this paper constructs an argument for legislative intervention. This ‘economic approach’ is applied to other labor market practices and is used to evaluate and critique the current law concerning sexual harassment in the U.S. and other nations.Keywords
All Related Versions
This publication has 11 references indexed in Scilit:
- Bonded labor and serfdom: a paradox of voluntary choiceJournal of Development Economics, 2002
- Human Behavior and the Law of WorkVirginia Law Review, 2001
- The freedom to contract and the free-rider problemJournal of Law, Economics, and Organization, 1999
- Child Labor: Cause, Consequence, and Cure, with Remarks on International Labor StandardsJournal of Economic Literature, 1999
- Reconceptualizing Sexual HarassmentThe Yale Law Journal, 1998
- Job-related and psychological effects of sexual harassment in the workplace: Empirical evidence from two organizations.Journal of Applied Psychology, 1997
- Trade Liberalisation and ‘Fair Trade’ Demands: Addressing the Environmental and Labour Standards IssuesThe World Economy, 1995
- Title VII and the Complex Female SubjectMichigan Law Review, 1994
- A FEMINIST DEFINITION OF SEXUAL HARASSMENTJournal of Social Philosophy, 1993
- The Right to Give up RightsEconomica, 1984