Is fraternizing harassment or sexual harassment?

Harassment of any kind is in the eye of the beholder. No, is no. If you pursue someone and they ask you to stop, you are in the wrong.

Many employers now actively discourage fraternizing outside the workplace.

dont habe

"Harassment" is unwanted, be it "sexual" or otherwise.

My understanding of "fraternizing" is that it's mutually enjoyable.

It is a question of conduct and could imply harassment or bribery.

It's only harrassment if it is unwanted.

Use of the word fraternizing implies both (all) parties are consenting.
Harrassment not assumed.

not sure I have enough information here.

Fraternizing is defined as "To meet or associate together as friends."

So in and of itself, hanging out with someone you work with wouldn't be harrasment, sexual or otherwise.

If one person is the supervisor of the other, your employer might have policies against that, but unless the subordinate was pressured into hanging out and there was a sexual overtone, I doubt if it would be considered sexual harrasment.

That being said, the supervisor could still be reprimanded for violating company policy.

Sexual harassment is defined as "harassment or unwelcome attention of a sexual nature. " That can be between any of the sexes, but would be different than just hanging out as friends, which would be fraternizing.

In either case if a boss is pressuring you to hang out with them outside the workplace, it would be considered inappropriate, and you could complain to HR about it.

Fraternization is the act of associating with others (social) in a friendly manner. In a business setting it is usually a term that is meant that you talk to others or socialize with others (chat, associate in a congenial way) when you are NOT suppose to. This is a case where it is a policy that you are not suppose to talk to others while they are working--since it is concidered a discraction, in this case. It is what happens when you have a co-worker who continually comes over and talks to you about what they did last Saturday--or about the NY Yankees and what a bunch of loosers they have been lately. It is usually not gender related, nor is it usually inappropriate (by social norm) in topic. It usually makes the person who is being harrassed feel more annoyed than anything else.

Sexual harrassment is usually concidered (by social norm) inappropriate in topic. The topics are usually sexual in nature...even implied and not specific. But, specific enough to be rude, degrading, condescending, even exciting...but inappropriate, nonetheless. It usually consists of short one sided commentary--it is not necessarily social in its interaction. It is usually gender specific--you can be sexually harrassed by the opposite or the same gender. It is commentary that usually makes one (the one who is feeling harrassed) feel uncomfortable than anything else.

Fraternizing is consensual and not harassment