Is this sexual harassment?

I currently work for an ad agency. One of the key accounts has sexually harassed me, offered sexual favors, and even tried to kiss me while we were traveling. I have confronted the partners with this, but they said they were told by the client that they would lose the account if I didn't work on it with him alone. They are both women and said to expect this treatment with the ad world, then told me war stories of their own.

The man at the account was just recently fired from his job and we have lost the account. It has been expressed that I didn't work hard enough. Is this grounds for suing my employer?

Rita Risser's response:

It was improper for your employers to make it a requirement that you continue to service the account. If they want to put up with it, that is their right, and since they are partners and it is their business, obviously they have more self-interest in doing so. But an employee cannot be required to "put up with it." The courts are clear that the employer must provide a harassment-free environment, including giving up clients if necessary.

Now the partners are saying you didn't work hard enough and that is why the account was lost. Obviously, that has nothing to do with your relationship with the man who was fired, but rather the relationships you developed (or didn't develop) with others at the account. I would think that is a part of your job and that someone in your position would want to have solid relationships with others at an account to prevent exactly what happened here.

Can you sue your employer now? No. Could they fire you? Possibly. Could you sue then? Probably not.

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