Which statement is true?

• A. Quid pro quo is legal, hostile environment is illegal.
• B. Quid pro quo is illegal, but hostile environment is not.
• C. Both are illegal.
• D. Neither is illegal.

Answer: (B)

Quid pro quo harassment is illegal because it uses a person in authority to condition employment benefits, promotions, or other privileges on sexual favors. It’s a clear abuse of power: you’re being asked to trade something you want (a job or advancement) for something you don’t want (a sexual advance).

Hostile environment harassment is illegal when unwelcome conduct related to sex is so frequent, severe, or pervasive that it creates an intimidating, intolerable, or abusive working or learning environment. The harm isn’t about a specific exchange of favors, but about the overall atmosphere and its impact on a person’s ability to work or study.

Because both forms involve unlawful conduct under most anti-harassment laws, the idea that one form is illegal while the other is not doesn’t align with how these protections are understood in practice. The main takeaway is that either scenario can violate the law, depending on how the conduct affects the workplace or educational environment.