Legal Question in Employment Law in Washington

Re: Porn video shown in a training office

Probably not. It was a crass and offensive event, but probably not actionable.

If the video was child porn, you should notify appropriate authorities. Otherwise, read on.

You probably do not have a sexual harassment claim against your employer. Sexual harassment must be either a "quid pro quo" case (a supervisor demanding sex in exchange for a promotion, for example) or a "hostile work environment" case. For a hostile work environment case, the harassment must be severe and pervasive, and it must be because of gender. In this case, you have a single incident, possibly accidental, and arguably not directed at either gender. Unless you have other facts not shared in your post, probably no legal action is available here.

In order to bring an action against the rep or the rep's employer, you would probably have to show some sort of injury. If the video was so disturbing that you are losing sleep, unable to concentrate at work, and in counseling to deal with it, then there is a chance you might be able to prevail in a suit. Otherwise, probably not.

You may want to make your employer aware of what happened. This kind of thing disrupts concentration on the job at hand and invites legal inquiries such as the one you've posted here today. Your employer therefore may choose to notify the vender what happened, and also to ask to be assigned another rep. I would not like to be that rep explaining to the vendor what happened, especially if the laptop belongs to the vendor and not the rep personally.

Re: Porn video shown in a training office

I agree with Ms. Beecher. Plus, please note that playing the video was apparently an accident.