Can Comments About My Appearance Be Considered Workplace Sexual Harassment in Illinois?

 Posted on September 29, 2026 in Sexual Harassment

Comments about your appearance at work can put you in a precarious position. If it makes you uncomfortable, you aren’t overreacting, especially if that person insists the comments are meant as compliments.

Some appearance-related comments can be workplace sexual harassment, especially when they are unwelcome, sexual in nature, and affect your work or create a hostile or offensive workplace. If you are dealing with this in 2026, a DuPage County, IL sexual harassment attorney can help you understand your rights.

When Can Comments About My Appearance Become Sexual Harassment in Illinois?

Not every comment about your appearance is sexual harassment. Telling a coworker that you like a new haircut is different from making repeated sexual remarks about that person's body. According to 775 ILCS 5/2-101, sexual harassment can include unwelcome sexual conduct that interferes with someone's work or creates a hostile or offensive workplace.

A pattern of comments can become more serious as it continues. This is especially true when you have shown that the attention is unwanted. The setting and the relationship between you and the person making the comments can also be relevant.

Do Comments About My Appearance Have to Be Explicitly Sexual to Be Harassment?

Comments do not always have to use graphic sexual language to be a problem. The way someone talks about your body or appearance can give the remarks a sexual meaning.

For example, a supervisor might repeatedly comment on how an employee's clothing fits her body. A coworker might keep talking about how attractive another employee looks. These remarks can become more serious when they continue after the employee shows that the attention is unwanted.

What if My Illinois Coworker Says the Comments Are Just Compliments?

Calling a comment a compliment does not make it welcome. What matters is the conduct itself and how it affects the workplace. This can become clearer after you ask the person to stop. If a coworker continues making comments about your body after you have objected, saying that the remarks were meant to be flattering does not erase your objection.

You also do not have to react perfectly in the moment. Laughing because you feel awkward or trying to avoid conflict does not automatically mean you welcomed the comments.

What Should I Do if the Comments About My Appearance Keep Happening?

Keeping records can help show what has been happening. Try to record details soon after an incident so you do not have to rely on your memory later.

Useful information can include:

• What the person said
• When and where it happened
• Who heard the comment
• Any emails, texts, or messages containing similar remarks

If you feel safe doing so, you can tell the person that you want the comments to stop. You can also check your employer's harassment policy to learn how to make a report.

When you report the problem, be specific about what happened. This gives your employer a clear record of the conduct you are reporting.

What Happens After I Report the Comments to My Employer in Illinois?

A report puts your employer on notice of the problem. The employer must investigate and take reasonable steps to stop the conduct.

Illinois law has a specific rule for harassment by coworkers who are not supervisors. Under 775 ILCS 5/2-102, an employer is responsible for sexual harassment by a nonsupervisory employee when they know about the conduct and fail to take reasonable corrective measures.

Keep a copy of your complaint and any response from your employer. If the comments continue after you report them, keep records of the new incidents, too.

Contact a DuPage County, IL Sexual Harassment Attorney

Repeated comments about your appearance can make it difficult to feel safe at work. At Mirabella, Kincaid, Frederick & Mirabella, LLC, our attorneys can review what happened and explain your options for addressing the conduct.

MKFM Law serves clients from our offices located in Kane, DuPage, and DeKalb Counties. Contact our Wheaton, IL sexual harassment lawyers or call 630-665-7300 to schedule an initial attorney meeting.