The EEOC’s influence on defining sexual harassment is best described as

• A. It has no role in shaping workplace standards.
• B. It prosecutes harassment cases in federal court.
• C. It provides guidelines that inform judicial interpretations.
• D. It issues binding federal regulations that define harassment.

Answer: (C)

The key idea is that the EEOC shapes workplace harassment standards through guidance that helps courts interpret the law. The agency issues guidelines and enforcement guidance that explain how harassment should be understood under Title VII, providing definitions, examples, and procedures for evaluating conduct. These materials are persuasive and influential for judges as they apply the statute to real cases, helping achieve consistent interpretations across courts. The EEOC’s role isn’t to prosecute cases on its own as a binding regulator; it can bring enforcement actions, but the defining impact on how harassment is understood comes from the guidance it issues, not from binding regulations.