Your boss makes an inappropriate comment at work. Maybe you put your name in for a promotion, and they say offhand that the two of you should go on a date and they will make sure you get that promotion. Maybe they make crude comments about your appearance or your sexual activity.
But when you bring up that this treatment was a violation of your rights and qualifies as sexual harassment on the job, your boss just waves it off. They tell you that it was just a joke. They say you do not have a good sense of humor, the joke went over your head and they were never being serious about the date. You took their comments the wrong way.
This is still sexual harassment
This is a very common excuse for sexual harassment, but it is important for workers to know that it does not fundamentally change anything. The comments are still inappropriate and unfair. They still can create a hostile work environment.
It may be that your hypothetical boss was never joking to begin with. They were serious, but they did not get the response they wanted, so they are pretending it was a joke and trying to gaslight you. This could make it a direct example of quid pro quo sexual harassment.
But even if they genuinely were joking, that type of humor in the workplace can still trigger sexual harassment claims and create a hostile work environment. So either way, this excuse does not hold much weight.
What are your legal options?
If you have faced harassment on the job, it is crucial that you know what legal steps you can take. It may help to work with an experienced attorney as you explore your options. You deserve to be treated with the respect to which you are entitled by law.