2026 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code Z56.81Sexual harassment on the job

ICD-10-CM Codes›Z00–Z99›Z55-Z65›Z56

ICD-10-CM Z56.81
CMSSource: CMS FY 2026 ICD-10-CM dataset · Effective Oct 1, 2025 – Sep 30, 2026

Z56.81 is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for sexual harassment on the job. It is valid on HIPAA claims for fiscal year 2026 (October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026). The code is not accepted as a principal diagnosis by the Medicare Code Editor and exempt from POA reporting. Coders also document this condition as job-related sexual harassment. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Socioeconomic/psychosocial factors.

Code Identity

ICD-10-CM Code
Z56.81
Billable Status
Yes — Valid for Submission
Code Describes
Sexual harassment on the job
Short Description
Sexual harassment on the job
Same as the full description in the CMS dataset.
Parent Code
Z56.8
Other problems related to employment

Code Classification

ChapterZ00–Z99Factors influencing health status and contact with health services
SectionZ55-Z65Persons with potential health hazards related to socioeconomic and psychosocial circumstances
CategoryZ56Problems related to employment and unemployment
This CodeZ56.81Sexual harassment on the job

Code EditsBilling

Medicare Code Editor checks that affect claim validity for Z56.81.

Unacceptable principal diagnosis
There are selected codes that describe a circumstance which influences an individual's health status but not a current illness or injury, or codes that are not specific manifestations but may be due to an underlying cause. These codes are considered unacceptable as a principal diagnosis.

Present on Admission (POA)Billing

Z56.81 is exempt from POA reporting on inpatient claims to general acute care hospitals. Review other POA exempt codes.

Approximate SynonymsGuidance

Alternate terms and clinical phrases that map to this code.

  • Job-related sexual harassment
  • Sexual harassment
  • Sexual problems at work

Index to Diseases and InjuriesGuidance

Alphabetical index entries that point to this code.

External Cause of Injuries IndexGuidance

References for this code in the External Cause of Injuries Index.

    • Problem(with) (related to)
      • employment
        • sexual harassment

Clinical ClassificationClinical

AHRQ’s CCSR groups this code into broader clinical categories.

CCSR FAC019
Socioeconomic/psychosocial factors
Default principal diagnosis: inpatient No · outpatient No

Clinical InformationClinical

  • Sexual Harassment

    a form of discrimination in the workplace which violates the civil rights act of 1964. offensive sexual conduct may include unwelcome advances, comments, touching, questions about marital status and sex practices, etc. both men and women may be aggressors or victims. (slee and slee, health care terms, 2d ed, p.404). while civil rights legislation deals with sexual harassment in the workplace, the behavior is not restricted to this; it may take place outside the work environment: in schools, athletics, and other social milieus and activities.

Convert Z56.81 to ICD-9-CMHistory

The closest ICD-9-CM equivalents under the General Equivalence Mappings.

ICD-9-CM
V62.1 Adverse eff-work environ
Approximate The match is approximate rather than exact.

Code HistoryHistory

FY 2016AddedAdded to the ICD-10-CM code setEffective October 1, 2015, the first year of ICD-10-CM.
FY 2017–2025No changes
FY 2026CurrentCurrent code set, no changesEffective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.

Questions About Z56.81Overview

Is Z56.81 (Other problems related to employment) a billable code?

Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report sexual harassment on the job on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.

Can Z56.81 be a principal diagnosis?

No. The Medicare Code Editor rejects this code as a principal diagnosis because sexual harassment on the job describes a circumstance that influences health status rather than a current illness. Report it as a secondary diagnosis.

Is Z56.81 exempt from POA reporting?

Yes. CMS lists this code among those exempt from present on admission reporting, so hospitals do not assign a POA indicator for sexual harassment on the job on inpatient claims.

What is the ICD-9 equivalent of Z56.81?

Under the General Equivalence Mappings, sexual harassment on the job converts to ICD-9-CM V62.1 (adverse eff-work environ). The mapping is approximate, so confirm the match fits the documentation.