The invasion of privacy is clearly defined by legislation, like the Privacy Act of 1974, Fair Credit Reporting Act, etc. These laws define clear procedures so that organizations do not invade an individual's privacy.

On the other hand, sexual harassment (of which a hostile environment is one type of sexual harassment) and constructive discharge are sometimes determined by applying the 'reasonable person' concept.

For example, the 'reasonable person' concept identifies whether a 'reasonable person' would perceive such an environment as abusive, hostile and intolerable to determine sexual harassment or a constructive discharge.