Under federal law, sexual harassment is a crime. As per Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, employers are prohibited from discriminating against an employee based on that individual’s sex, race, religion, and ethnicity. This law is applicable in workplace environments that have more than 15 employees, including private and public businesses, federal, state, and local government employers as well as employment agencies, colleges, and universities, among others. An employer is also prohibited from taking retaliatory action against an employee for filing a charge of discrimination with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).