Legal Question in Employment Law in Washington

Re: Is this harrassment / hostile work environment?

Yes, I would call that harassment. The "hostile work environment" form of sexual harassment is created when an employee is exposed to unwanted sexually explicit comments or materials that interfere in her ability to perform her job (such as creating health problems or making it hard to go to work, etc.), provided the employee reports and/or complains about the conduct and the employer fails to take prompt, effective remedial action. The comments you report are sexually explicit and inappropriate, as are the naked pictures. You did the right thing by reporting the conduct. The employer's failure to take action to stop the harassment makes the employer responsible for the continuing harassment. Also, the failure to take action by the employer might be a form of retaliation, which in itself is an illegal act.

Please be aware that you have only a limited time to take action against the employer (180 or 300 days, depending on the circumstances), so do not delay seeking legal advice. Even if you don't want to assert a claim before you find alternative employment, you should consult with a qualified, experienced sexual harassment lawyer to make sure your rights are preserved.

The above does not constitute legal opinion and is offered for the purposes of discussion only. The law differs in every jurisdiction, and you should not rely on any opinion except that of an attorney you have retained, who has a professional duty to advise you after being fully informed of all the pertinent facts and who is familiar with the applicable law.