If you asked employees whether they would rather be subjected to sexual harassment or serious injury in the workplace, most would probably grudgingly accept some lewd comments or inappropriate jokes. These two unfortunate working conditions may seem starkly different, but a recent study shows that employers may try to compensate for them in the same way.

"Hazard pay" is not a novel term for employees in dangerous industries like fishing, logging and construction. The Department of Labor defines hazard pay as "additional pay for performing hazardous duty or work involving physical hardship." In other words, workers in dangerous fields earn more money for performing jobs that put them at risk of injury or death.

According to a Vanderbilt University study, the same principle holds true when that risk is sexual harassment. Women working in industries with high rates of sexual harassment earn an average of 25 cents more per hour than their counterparts in less risky fields. Men facing similar risks earn an extra 50 cents per hour, in accordance with the higher wages that men earn generally.

Fields that are traditionally dominated by men are among those that posed the greatest harassment risks to women in the study. These include:

  • Mining (71 reports of sexual harassment per 100,000 workers)
  • Construction (20 per 100,000)
  • Forestry (18 per 100,000)
  • Fishing (18 per 100,000)
  • Hunting (18 per 100,000)
  • Transportation and utilities (17 per 100,000)

Just as dangerous industries must pay workers a premium to offset the chance of injury, it seems that industries plagued by sexual harassment must offer higher pay to attract and keep good employees.

In today's economy, many people feel fortunate to have any job at all, particularly one that pays enough. Employees who are fighting for job security may feel that they have to put up with harassment to avoid retaliation or termination.

While employers may believe that high wages make up for the risk of sexual harassment, that doesn't excuse inappropriate conduct in the workplace. State and federal law requires employers to take reasonable care to prevent sexual harassment and to promptly correct harassment which has occurred. If you have been harassed or discriminated against in the workplace, an employment law attorney can advise you of your rights and recommend proper legal action when appropriate.