Terms Used In Rhode Island General Laws > Chapter 28-51 - Sexual Harassment, Education and Training in the Workplace

• Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
• Employee: means any person who has entered into the employment of or works under contract of service or apprenticeship with any employer, except that in the case of a city or town other than the city of Providence it shall only mean that class or those classes of employees as may be designated by a city, town, or regional school district in a manner provided in this chapter to receive compensation under chapters 29 — 38 of this title. See Rhode Island General Laws 28-29-2
• Employer: means any entity employing fifty (50) or more employees. See Rhode Island General Laws 28-51-1
• person: may be construed to extend to and include co-partnerships and bodies corporate and politic. See Rhode Island General Laws 43-3-6
• Sexual harassment: means any unwelcome sexual advances or requests for sexual favors or any other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature when:

  (1)  Submission to that conduct or those advances or requests is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of an individual's employment; or

  (2)  Submission to or rejection of the conduct or advances or requests by an individual is used as the basis for employment decisions affecting the individual; or

  (3)  The conduct or advances or requests have the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual's work performance or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working environment. See Rhode Island General Laws 28-51-1