quid pro quo sexual harassment is illegal, but hostile environment harassment is not.

Quid pro quo sexual harassment is illegal because it involves a person in a position of power using that power to demand sexual favors in exchange for job benefits or to avoid negative job consequences—such as promotions, raises, or avoiding demotion or firing. This creates a clear, tangible change in terms or conditions of employment, which violates laws like Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Hostile environment harassment, in contrast, refers to unwelcome sexual conduct or behavior that creates an intimidating, offensive, or hostile work environment but does not necessarily involve a direct exchange or threat linked to job benefits or detriment. Though also illegal under the same laws, hostile environment harassment is often more subjective and less tied to concrete employment actions. The key difference is that quid pro quo harassment requires a power dynamic plus a tangible job-related consequence linked to sexual demands, which makes it illegal by explicit statute. Hostile environment harassment is illegal too but may not involve a direct quid pro quo exchange. Both forms are prohibited, but quid pro quo is more clearly defined as unlawful due to the direct threat or action affecting employment terms.