## United States Court of App eals

F O R T H E E I G H T H

C I R C U I T

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No. 1 1- 19 53

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Je nn ife r L. Crawfo rd ; Gan no n Q. *

Dvo rak ; Ern es t M ag da le no ; Dav id *

All en Pet ers ; M ic ha el C. Mea do ws, *

*

Pl ai nt iff s - Ap pe ll an ts

, *

* App eal fro m

th e Uni te d S ta te s

v. * Dis tri ct Co ur t fo r th e

* Dis tri ct of Ne br as ka

. BNSF Ra il way

Co m pa ny, *

*

Defen da nt - App el le e. *

__ __ __ __ __ _

Su bm it te d: Decem

be r 13 , 20 11

Fi le d: Jan ua ry

11 , 20 12

__ __ __ __ __ _

Befo re LOKEN, MURPHY, and SHEPHERD, Circ ui t J ud ge s.

__ __ __ __ __ _

MURP HY, Circ ui t J ud ge

.

Je nn ife r Crawf

or d, Gan no n Dv o r a k

, Erne st Mag da le no

, Dav id Pet ers

, an d

Mi ch ael Mea do ws su ed th ei r em pl oyer BNSF Rai lway Co m pa ny, al le gi ng th at th ey

ha d be en su bjec te d to se xu al an d raci al ha ras sm en t by th ei r su pe rv is or Mi ch ael Dur an

in vi ol at io n of Titl e VII of th e Ci vi l Rig ht s Act of 19 64

. The di st ric t cou rt gr an te d 1

BNSF's m ot io n fo r su m m ary ju d gm en t, co nc lu di ng th at it was en ti tl ed to th e

H o n o r ab le Ly le E. St ro m

, Uni te d St at es Dis tri ct Ju dg e fo r th e Dis tri ct o f 1

Neb ras ka

.affi rm at iv e de fen se fo r su pe rv is or ha ras sm en t reco gn iz ed by th e Su pr em e C o u r t in

Bu rli ng to n In du s t r i e s

, I n c. v. Ell ert h, 52 4 U.S. 7 42 (1 99 8) , a nd Fara gh er v. Ci ty o f

Bo ca Rat on

, 52 4 U.S. 77 5 (1 99 8)

. On ap pe al th e em pl oyees arg ue th at BNSF is no t

e n ti tl ed to th e Ell ert h- Fara gh er affi rm at iv e de fen se an d th at m at eri al fact qu es ti on s

pr ecl ud e su m

m ary jud gm en t. We affir m

.

I.

W e fir st st at e th e fact s in th e li gh t m os t fav or a b l e t o ap pe ll an ts

. See

Bren ne m an v. Fam ou s Dav e's of Am ., 5 07 F.3 d 11 3 9

, 1 1 4 1 ( 8 th Ci r. 20 07 ). At al l

rel ev an t tim es Crawf

or d, Dvo rak

, Mag da le no

, Pet ers

, an d Mea do ws were m id le ve l

su pe rv is or s at a BNSF Rai lway Co m pa ny di es el en gi ne faci li ty in All ia nc e, Neb ras ka

an d were su pe rv is ed by Mi ch ael Dur an

. Ci ti ng sp eci fic in ci de nt s be gi nn in g in earl y

20 08

, ap pe ll an ts al le ge th at th ei r su pe rv is or Dur an su bjec te d th em to freq ue nt se xu al

ha ras sm en t an d, in th e cas e of Mag da le no

, raci al ha ras sm en t. BNSF do es no t di rect ly

di sp ut e ap pe ll an ts ' al le ga ti on s ab ou t Dur an 's co nd uc t bu t m ai nt ai ns th at it is en ti tl ed

to th e Ell ert h- Fara gh er affi rm at iv e de fen se

. It cl a i ms th at ap pe ll an ts di d no t rep or t

Dur an 's co nd uc t in a ti m el y m an ne r an d th at it r e s p o n d e d pr om pt ly an d effe ct iv el y

on ce t he co nd uc t was rep or te d.

The ap pe ll an ts de sc rib ed th ei r su pe rv is or 's beh av io r in writ te n di sc ov ery an d

de po si ti on s. Crawf

or d st at ed th at Dur an sl ap pe d h e r bu tt oc ks , f on dl ed he r br eas ts

,

an d m ad e se xu al co m

m en ts

. Tho se co m

m en ts in cl ud ed a su gg es ti on th at sh e ha ve se x

wit h a co wor ke r. Dvo rak de sc rib ed in ap pr op ria te se xu al r e mar k s m ad e by Dur an

,

i n cl ud in g co m

m en ts on hi s wife 's br eas ts an d qu es ti on s ab ou t wit h whi ch f e mal e

co wor ke rs he wou ld li ke to ha ve se x. Dvo rak al so st at ed th at on ce up on en te rin g

Dur an 's of

fic e, he sa w an ot he r su pe rv is or on hi s kn ees ne ar D u r a n whi le th e la tt er

pr et en de d to zi p up hi s pan ts

. Mag da le no

, who is His pa ni c, st at ed th at Dur an m ad e

in ap pr op ria te se xu al co m m en ts to hi m "o n a week ly ba si s" a n d a ls o in ap pr op ria te

raci al rem ark s. Pet ers st at ed th at Dur an twi ce tri ed to gr ab hi s cro tc h an d m ad e

-2

-freq ue nt in ap pr op ria te se xu al co m m en ts to hi m

. Mea do ws d e s c r ib ed th e se xu al

co m m en ts Dur an m ad e to hi m

, in cl ud in g th at he wou ld ha ve to gi ve hi m or al se x in

or de r to rece iv e fav or ab le pe rfo rma nc e rev ie ws or to av oi d wor ki ng th e m id ni gh t

sh ift

. Mea do ws ad m it s Duran di d no t ret al ia te aft er he refu se d to co m pl y wit h su ch

de m an ds . Mead ows als o s ta te d t ha t Du ran att em pt ed to to uc h h is pri va te pa rts

.

App el la nt s were aware of BNSF's "ze ro to le ran ce" po li c y on wor kp la ce

ha ras sm en t. The po li cy pr oh ib it ed ha ra ssi ng co nduc t in cl ud in g "(a ) se xu al fli rta ti on s,

to uc hi ng

, ad va nc es

, or pr op os it io ns ; (b ) ve rb al ab us e of a se xu al na tu re; (c) gr ap hi c

or su gg es ti v e c o mm en ts of a se xu al na tu re; (d ) se xu al ly de gr ad in g wor ds ; an d (e)

di sp la y in g se xu al ly su gg es ti ve m at eri al s." Em pl oyees were in st ru ct ed to rep or t

of fen si ve co nd uc t th ro ug h on e of fiv e ch an ne ls

, whi ch in cl ud ed rep or ti ng to a

su pe rv is or or by an an on y m ou s em pl oyee ho tl i n e

. As su pe rv is or s, ap pe ll an ts were

res po ns ib le fo r res po nd in g to an y su bo rd in at e rep or ts of ha ras sm en t. The co m pa ny

po li cy st at ed th at aft er a rep or t was m ad e, al l e g a t i o n s wou ld be in ve st ig at ed

"p ro m pt ly, im pa rti al ly, an d co nf

id en ti al ly." It als o con ta in ed gu id el in es ex pl ai ni ng

th e ran ge s o f di sc ip li ne BNSF m ig ht ap pl y to em pl oyees who ha ras se d o th ers . The

po li cy in cl ud ed a pr ov is io n p ro hi bi ti ng ret al ia ti on for rep or ti ng di sc riminat io n.

App el la nt s ha d be en tra in ed on ho w to rep o r t ha ras sm en t. The y di d no t

in it ia ll y rep or t Dur an 's co nd uc t to hi s su pe rv is or s de sp it e te st im on y th at th ey

co n s id ered hi s su pe rio rs to be ap pr oa ch ab le an d pr of es si on al

. W hi le th ey co nc ed e

th at th ey ne ve r us ed th e h ot li ne to rep or t Duran

, th ey cl ai m th at rep or ts wou ld ha ve

be en us el es s be cau se BNSF ha d ne ve r ta ke n an y act io n aft er a ho tl in e c a ll

. The

ho tl in e reco rd s pr od uc ed by th e co m pa ny in di cat e ho wev er th at each co m pl ai nt was

in ve st ig at ed an d ev en tu al ly cl os ed

. In so m e cas es

, ev en th ou gh in ve st ig at io n di d no t

su bs ta nt ia te th e co m

pl ai nt

, th e su bjec t of th e co m pl ai nt was co un se le d by BNSF on

it s an ti ha ras sm en t p ol ic ie s.

-3

-App el la nt s co nt en d th at Dur an 's su pe rio rs were aware of hi s ha ras si ng co nd uc t

th ro ug h in fo rm al co m

m en ts bu t th at th ey fai le d to ta ke an y act io n in res po ns e. The

fir st ex am

pl e was a co nv ers at io n be twee n Dur an an d hi s su pe r i or Bea u Pri ce

ov erh eard by Mead ows , in whi ch Dur an jok ed th at th ere m ig ht be "p et er t rack s" on

Pri ce's ha t. Pri ce res po nd ed by as ki ng Mea do ws if Dur an al way s be ha ve d li ke th at

.

Mea do ws sa id y es

. Mea do ws al so st at ed at hi s d e p o s i t i o n th at aft er he he ard Jo e

Hall

, an ot he r su pe rio r of Dur an 's, co m pl ai ni ng ab ou t Dur an fo r un rel at ed reas on s, he

to ld Hall th at Dur an was "d oi ng so m e in ap pr op ria te th in gs an d he was pr ob ab ly go in g

to ge t hi m se lf fir ed fo r it ." Acco rd in g to Mea do ws, Hall res po nd ed by sa y in g he di d

no t wan t to li st en or be in vo lv ed

. Mea do ws di d no t pu rs ue th e m at te r fu rth er an d di d

no t ex pl ai n to Hall th e na tu re of an y in ap pr op ria te co nd uc t by Dur an

. App el la nt s al so

no te two ti m es whe n Dur an cal le d ot he r em pl oyees in su lt in g na m es an d an ot he r

in c i d e n t whe n he al le ge dl y sl ap pe d a fem al e em pl oyee's rear en d bu t rece iv ed on ly

"m in im al " d is ci pl in e.

In Octo be r 20 08

, m on th s aft er th e al le ge d ha ras sm en t be ga n, eac h ap pe ll an t

fil ed di sc riminat io n ch arg es wit h t he Neb ras ka Equ al Opp or tu ni ty Co m m is si on

(NEOC) an d th e Equ al Em pl oym en t Opp or tu ni ty Co m m is si on (EEOC). Afte r fil in g

ch arg es , on Octo be r 28 , 20 08 , Crawfo rd rep or te d Dur an 's co nd uc t fo r th e fi rs t t im e

to BNSF. Sh e to ld Jo e Hall th at sh e an d fo ur ot he r em pl oyees ha d fil ed or were fil in g

NEOC com

pl ai nt s b ecau se of Du ran 's c on du ct

.

A s s o on as BNSF rece iv ed Crawf or d's co m pl ai nt

, it be ga n an in ve st ig at i o n

,

in cl ud in g in te rv ie win g fo ur of th e ap pe ll an ts

. W it hi n two da y s, BNSF pl aced Dur an

on ad m in is tra ti ve lea ve . After c om pl et in g it s in ve st ig at io n, BNSF i nf or m ed Dura n

o n N o v e m

be r 10

, 20 08 th at he was be in g te rm in at ed fro m hi s ge ne ral fo re man

po si ti on

. Dur an ch os e to res ig n. App el la nt s ex pl ai ne d in th ei r de po si ti on s th at th ey

ha d de la y ed rep or ti ng Dur an 's co nd uc t du e to th ei r co nc ern ab ou t ret al ia ti on bu t al so

du e to th ei r de si re t o b ui ld up ev id en ce ag ai ns t h im

.

-4

-Afte r rece iv in g rig ht to su e le tt ers

, ap pe ll an ts fil ed su it in fed eral co ur t,

al le gi ng th at BNSF had su bjec te d th em to se xu al an d raci al ha ras sm en t i n v io la ti on

of Tit le VII an d se ek in g de cl arat or y an d in jun ct iv e rel ie f an d da m ag es

. The di st ric t

co ur t gr an te d su m

m ary jud gm en t in fav or of BNSF. It de cl in ed to de ci de whe th er th e

em pl oyees ha d es ta bl is he d th e el em en ts of th ei r se xu al an d raci al ha ras sm en t cl ai m s,

co nc lu di ng th at BNSF was no t li ab le be cau se it was en ti tl ed to it s Ell ert h- Fara gh er

affi rm at iv e de fen se

. The co ur t con cl ud ed th at BNSF had ex erci se d reas on ab le care

to pr e v e n t an d co rrec t pr om pt ly an y ha ras si ng be ha vi or an d th e ap pe ll an ts ha d

un reas on ab ly fai le d to ta ke ad va nt ag e of th e co m pa ny's rep or ti ng pr oc ed ur es fo r

wor kp la ce ha ras sm en t. The fiv e em pl oyees ap pe al

, arg ui ng th at BNSF fai le d to ta ke

co rrec ti ve act io n de sp it e kn owi ng ab ou t Dur an 's be ha vi or an d th at th ey ha d act ed

reas on ab ly in no t rep or ti ng hi s co nd uc t to th e co m pa ny un ti l Crawf

or d no ti fie d it

ab ou t t he ch arg es th ey

ha d fi le d wi th th e NEOC.

II.

W e rev ie w de n ov o th e di st ric t co ur t's gr an t o f su m m ary jud gm en t, "v ie win g

al l ev id en ce an d a l l reas on ab le in fere nc es m os t fav or ab ly" to ap pe ll an ts

.

You ng -Los ee v. Grap hi c Pack ag i n g I n t'l

, In c., 63 1 F.3 d 90 9, 91 1 (8 th Ci r. 20 11 ).

Su m m ary jud g men t i s a p pr op ria te on ly if th ere is no ge nu in e is su e of m at eri al fact

an d B NSF is en ti tl ed to jud gm en t as a m at te r of law. Fed . R. Civ . P. 56 (a).

Tit le VII of th e C i v il Ri gh ts Act of 19 64 pr oh ib it s em pl oyers fro m

di sc riminat in g ag ai ns t an y in di vi du al "wi th res pe ct to hi s co m pe ns at io n, te rm s,

co nd it io ns

, or pr iv il eg es of em pl oym en t" be cau s e o f th e in di vi du al 's "ra ce, co lo r,

rel ig io n, se x, or na ti on al or ig in ." 42 U.S.C. § 20 00 e-2 (a)( 1)

. Sex ua l ha ras sm en t m ay

v io la te Tit le VII whe re it is su ffi ci en tl y "s ev ere or pe rv as iv e" so as to c r e a t e a n

"o bjec ti ve ly ho st il e or ab us iv e wor k en vi ro nm en t." Harri s v. Fo rk li ft Sy s., In c., 51 0

U.S. 17 , 20 (19 93 ).

-5

-An em pl oyer is vi cari ou sl y li ab le fo r a su pe rv is or 's act io na bl e se xu al or raci al

ha ras sm en t of em

pl oyees un le ss th e em

pl o ye r can es ta bl is h th e Ell ert h- Fara gh er

affi rm at iv e de fen se

. Gor do n v. Sh afer Co nt ract in g Co

., In c., 46 9 F.3 d 11 91

, 1 1 9 5

(8 th Ci r. 20 06 ). An em

pl oyer m ay on ly as se rt th is affi rm at iv e d e f e n s e whe n it ha s

ta ke n no ta n g i bl e em

pl oym en t act io n ag ai ns t th e al le ge dl y ha ras se d em pl oyee. Id

.

The Ell ert h- Fara gh er affi rm at iv e de fen se pr ot ect s an em pl oyer ot he rwis e vi cari ou sl y

li ab le fo r a ha ras si ng su pe rv is or 's co nd uc t if th e em pl oyer c a n s h ow th at (a) it

ex erci se d "re as on ab le care to pr ev en t a n d c o r rect pr om pt ly an y se xu al ly ha ras si ng

be ha vi or "; an d (b ) th e em pl oyee "u nr eas on ab ly fai le d to ta ke ad va nt ag e of an y

pr ev en ti ve o r c o rrec ti ve op po rtu ni ti es pr ov id ed by th e em pl oyer or to av oi d ha rm

ot he rwis e." Fa rag he r, 52 4 U.S. at 80 7; see Ell ert h, 5 24 U.S. at 7 65

.

The fir st pa rt of th is de fen se fu rth ers Tit le VII's "p rimary ob jecti v e" of

av oi di ng ha rm by "re co gn iz [in g] th e em pl oyer's affi rm at i v e ob li ga ti on to pr ev en t

vi ol at io ns an d gi v[ in g] cred it

. . . to em pl oyers who m ak e reas on a b l e e f f o r t s to

di sc ha rg e th ei r du ty." Fara gh er, 52 4 U.S. at 80 6. The se co nd pa rt "re fle ct s an eq ua ll y

ob vi ou s po li cy im

po rte d fro m th e ge ne ral th eo ry of da m ag es

, th at a vi ct im ha s a du ty

to us e su ch m ean s as are reas on ab le un de r th e ci rcu m st an ces to av oi d or m in im iz e th e

da m a g e s th at res ul t fro m vi ol at io ns of th e st at ut e." Id

. (in te rn al qu ot at io ns an d

ci ta ti on om it te d)

.

A.

App el la nt s co nc ed e th at "d is tri bu ti on of a va li d an ti ha ras sm en t po li cy pr ovi des

co m pe ll in g pr oo f" th at an em

pl oyer ex erci se d reas on ab le care to pr ev en t an d co rrec t

pr om pt ly ha ras si ng be ha vi or

, se e W eg er v. Ci ty of Lad ue

, 50 0 F.3 d 71 0, 71 9 (8 th Ci r.

20 07 ) (ci ta ti on om it te d)

, bu t th ey arg ue th at BNSF's po li cy was no t act ua ll y en fo rced

an d t hu s ca nn ot sat is fy

th e fi rs t p art of t he Ell ert h- Fara gh er defe ns e. See Ad am s v

.

O'Rei ll y Aut o., In c., 53 8 F.3 d 92 6, 93 0 (8 th Ci r. 20 08 ). App el la n t s c i t e a ll eg ed

-6

-ex pe rie nc es of ot he r co wor ke rs an d th ei r own in te ract io ns wit h Dur an 's su pe rio rs to

su pp or t t he ir c on te nt io n t ha t BNS F fai le d t o e nf or ce i ts an ti ha ras sm en t p ol ic y

.

App el la nt s arg ue th at al th ou gh ot he r em pl oyees ha d co m

pl ai ne d to BNSF

ab ou t Duran

, BNSF had ta ke n on ly "m in im al act io n" su ch as co un se li ng

. The y ci te

an in ci de nt in whi ch Dur an cal le d em pl oyee Ade le Kret a a "fu ck in g who re or bi tc h"

an d an ot he r whe re he cal le d em pl oyee Ry an Twog oo d a "fa gg ot an d w h i t e tra sh ."

The reco rd rev eal s ho wev er tha t BNSF in ve st ig at ed th es e in ci de nt s and to ok act io n

in res po ns e. Thi s in c l u de d m eet in g wit h Dur an

, co un se li ng hi m on ap pr op ria te

wor kp la ce be ha vi or , a nd req ui rin g hi m an d th e ot he rs in vo l v e d t o a tt en d a se m in ar

on wor kp la ce ha ras sm en t. W e "af fo rd an ap pr op ria te de gr ee of de fere nc e to bu si ne ss

jud gm en t" whe r e t h e reco rd sh ows th at th e em pl oyer co nd uc te d a reas on ab le

in ve st ig at io n in go od fai th

, as he re. Ada m s, 53 8 F.3 d at 93 0. The fact th at ap pe ll an ts

wou ld ha ve de si red ha rs he r res po ns es do es no t m ak e BNSF's ot he rwis e va li d po li cy

in effe ct iv e.

Mag da le no st at ed at hi s de po si ti on th at a th ird em pl oyee, Ann Osb or n, to ld hi m

t h a t D u r a n ha d "s la pp ed he r on th e as s" an d th at sh e was go in g to rep or t it on t h e

ho tl in e. Mag da le no co nc ed ed he was no t su re if Osb or ne ev er rep or te d th e in ci de nt

,

an d BNSF's ho tl in e reco rd s do no t sh ow an y su ch rep or t. In fact th e ho tl in e reco rd s

do no t s ho w any hara ss m en t co m pl ai nt s ag ai ns t Du ran . Even if Os bo rn e di d rep or t

th e al le ge d ha ras sm en t, a "s in gl e fai lu re by [BNSF ] to im pl em en t it s an ti -h aras sm en t

po li cy " wou ld no t be su ffi ci en t to co nc lu de th at it ha d n o t effe ct iv el y im pl em en te d

it s p ol ic y wher e th ere was ot he r ev id en ce th at it en fo rced it s po li cy . Id . at 9 31 . Of

sp eci al si gn ifi can ce was BNSF's "ex tre m el y swi ft act io n" in in v e st ig at in g an d

te rm in at in g Du ran on ce Cr awfo rd fin al ly repo rte d Du ran 's b eh av io r. See i d.

App el la nt s co nt en d th at th e ho tl in e reco rd s sh ow t h at BNSF ne ve r to ok an y

act io n reg ard in g co m

pl ai nt s it rece iv ed

. Mag da le no st at ed t h a t a nu m be r of

co wor ke rs ha d to ld hi m th at th ey ha d rep or te d va rio us ha ras si ng in ci de nt s th ro ug h th e

-7

-ho tl in e bu t h a d no t be en sa ti sf ie d wit h th e res po ns e. Mag da le no sa id th ey fel t th at

rep or ti ng to th e ho tl in e was a w a s t e o f ti m e. The ho tl in e reco rd s rev eal th at each

co m pl ai nt was in ve st ig at ed an d th e rel ev an t pa rti es were in te rv ie wed bu t th at th e

al l e g a t i on s co ul d no t be su bs ta nt ia te d or were ou ts id e th e sc op e of th e ho tl in e's

in te nd ed pu rp os e. BNSF's bu si ne ss jud gm en t is owe d so m e de fere nc e in ev al ua ti ng

it s re sp on se to th os e cal ls . See i d. at 93 0.

Fi na ll y

, ap pe ll an ts arg ue th at Dur an 's su pe rio rs kn ew of hi s ha ras si ng be ha vi or

pr io r to Crawf

or d's co m pl ai nt bu t fai le d to ta ke an y act io n. In as se ss in g whe th er an

em pl oyer ex erci se d reas on ab le care to co rrec t pr om pt ly an y se xu al ly ha ras si ng

be ha vi or

, "t he em

pl oyer's no ti ce of th e ha ras sm en t is of pa ram ou nt im po rta nc e."

We g er, 50 0 F.3 d at 72 0 (ci ta ti on om it te d)

. App el la nt s' at te m pt to sh ow th a t B N S F

kn ew o f D u r a n ' s ha ras si ng be ha vi or pr io r to Crawf or d's co m pl ai nt to Hall is no t

su pp or te d by th e reco rd

. Mea do ws's co m m en t to Hall th at Dur an w a s do in g 2

"i na pp ro pr ia te th in gs " di d no t m en ti on an y th in g ab ou t se xu al ha ras s men t

, an d th e

refe ren ce to "p et er tra ck s" was am bi gu ou s an d wou ld no t ha ve pr ov id ed act ua l no ti ce

of se xu al ha ras sm en t. Bec au se BN S F h ad a "p ub li sh ed po li cy th at pr ov id es a

pr oc ed ur e fo r rep or ti ng su sp ect ed ha ras sm en t, [a p p e ll an ts ] m us t ha ve in vo ke d th is

pr oc ed ur e in ord er t o e st ab li sh act ua l n ot ic e." Id . at 7 21

.

Co nt rary to ap pe ll an ts ' co nt en ti on

, th e ci rcu m st an ces of t h i s c as e are qu it e

di st in ct fro m th os e in Ogd en v. W ax W or ks

, In c., whe re we up he ld a jury ve rd ic t in

fav or of a pl ai nt iff who ha d be en su bjec te d to se xu al ha ras sm en t by a su pe rv is or

. 21 4

F.3 d 99 9 (8 th Ci r. 20 00 ). In co nc lu di n g t h a t th e em pl oyer was no t en ti tl ed to th e

Ell ert h- Fara gh er affi rm at iv e de fen se

, we no te d th at th e em pl oyer ha d m in im iz ed th e

pl ai nt iff 's co m pl ai nt s of se xu al ha ras sm en t, pe rfo rm ed a cu rs or y in ve s t i g at io n, an d

In a d di ti on to arg ui ng act ua l kn owl ed ge

, ap pe ll an ts co nt en d th at BNSF ha d 2

co ns tru ct iv e kn owl ed ge of Dur an ’s co nd uc t. Co ns tru ct iv e kn owl e d g e is irr el ev an t

fo r Ell ert h- Fara gh er pu rp os es whe re an effe ct iv e an ti ha ra s s men t po li cy is in pl ace.

See Ad am s, 5 38 F.3d at 9 32

.

-8

-ev en tu al ly f o r c e d h e r to res ig n wit ho ut di sc ip li ni ng th e ha ras se r. See id

. at 10 07

.

Here, i n c on tra st , B NSF to ok pr om pt rem ed ia l act io n a s s oo n a s C rawfo rd rep or te d

th e ha ras sm en t. Dur an was te rm in at e d l e s s th an two week s la te r. See W eg er, 50 0

F.3 d at 72 2 (wh ere ha ras sm en t en de d so on aft er rep or t was m ad e, em pl oyer "s at is fie d

it s du ty un de r th e co rrec ti on pr on g o f t h e fir st el em en t of th e Ell ert h- Fara gh er

affi rm at iv e d efen se ").

Giv en th e ev id en ce of B N S F ' s co m pr eh en si ve an ti ha ras sm en t po li cy an d it s

pr om pt an d effe ct iv e res po ns e whe n it was no ti fie d ab ou t Dur an 's ha ras sm en t, we

co nc lu de th at th e co m

pa ny ex erci se d reas on ab le care to pr ev en t an d pr om pt ly co rrec t

an y ha ras si ng be ha vi or

, m eet in g t he fir st pa rt of th e Ell ert h- Fara gh er affi rm at iv e

de fen se as a m at te r of

law.

B.

W e ne xt co ns id er whe th er ap pe ll an ts "u nr eas on ab ly fai le d to ta k e a dv an ta ge

of an y pr ev en ti ve or co rrec ti ve op po rtu ni ti es pr ov id ed by th e em pl oyer o r to av oi d

ha rm ot he rwis e." Fara gh er, 5 24 U.S. a t 80 7. Est ab li sh in g th at em pl oyees fai le d to

av ai l th em se lv es of a pr op er co m pl ai nt pr oc ed ur e "n or m al ly su ffi ce[s ] to sa ti sf y th e

em pl oyer's bu rd en un de r th e se co nd el em en t of th e de fen se ." Id

. at 80 7– 08

. App el la nt s do no t d i s p u te th at th ey fai le d to av ai l th em se lv es of BNSF's co m pl ai nt

pr oc ed ur e fo r ap pr ox im at el y ei gh t m on th s, un t i l a f t er th ey fil ed th e NEOC

co m pl ai nt s. As so on as C rawfo rd rep or te d th e ha ras sm en t, BNSF to ok pr om pt an d

effe ct iv e act io n in in ve st ig at in g th e co m pl ai nt

, pu tt in g Dur an on ad m in ist ra tiv e le av e,

an d te rm in at in g hi m le ss th an two week s la te r. The se fact s crea te a "s tro ng in fere nc e"

t h a t ap pe ll an ts were un reas on ab le in no t in vo ki ng BNSF's co m pl ai nt pr oc ed ur e

so on er. Ada m s, 5 38 F.3d at 9 32

.

App el la nt s co nt en d th at th ei r fai lu re t o re po rt Du ran was re as on ab le be cau se

th ey f e a r e d r e t a l ia ti on

. W hi le a "t ru ly cred ib le " th reat of ret al ia ti on m ay m ak e a

-9

-de la y ed rep or t reas on ab le

, W eg er, 50 0 F.3 d at 72 5 (ci ta ti on om it te d)

, he re ap pe ll an ts

po in t to no ev id en ce to sh ow th at th ei r fear of r e t a l i a t i on was ei th er "g en ui ne or

reas on ab le ." Ada m s, 53 8 F.3 d at 93 2. The reco rd is de vo id of an y ev id en ce of pr io r

ret al ia ti on or th reat s of ret al ia ti on by B N S F f or rep or ti ng ha ras sm en t. App el la nt s

co nc ed e th at th ey fel t com fo rta bl e ap pr oa ch in g su pe rv is or s on ot he r is su es an d th at

th os e su pe rv is or s act ed pr of es si on al ly. Mo reo ve r, BNSF's an ti ha ras sm en t p o li cy

co nt ai ne d an an ti ret al ia ti on pr ov is io n an d ap pe ll an ts co ul d ha ve av ai le d th em se lv es

of an an on y m ou s h ot li ne

.

We c o n c l ud e th at ap pe ll an ts ' al le ge d fear of ret al ia ti on do es no t m ak e th ei r

de la y in rep or ti ng reas on ab le

. W eg er, 50 0 F.3 d at 72 5. No r do es th e fact th at

ap pe ll an ts fel t th ei r rep or ts wou ld h a ve fal le n on de af ears ex cu se th ei r de la y in

rep or ti ng

. I d. at 72 5– 26

. Fu rth er, th e reco rd in di cat es th at pa rt of th e reas on fo r

ap pe ll an ts ' de la y in rep or ti ng was to ga th er m or e ev id en ce ag ai ns t Dur an

. An effo rt

to ob ta in ad di ti on al ev id en ce ag ai ns t a ha ras se r do es no t m ak e de la y in rep or ti ng

reas on ab le

. See Ada m s, 53 8 F.3 d at 93 2. W e co nc lu de th at ap pe ll an ts "u nr eas on ab ly

fai le d to ta ke ad va nt ag e of an y pr ev en ti ve or co rrec ti ve op po rtu ni ti es pr ov id ed by th e

em pl oyer or t o a vo id ha rm

ot he rwis e." Fa rag he r, 52 4 U.S. at 80 7.

Si nc e we ag ree wit h th e di st ric t co ur t th at BNSF ha s es ta bl is he d bo th pa rts of

th e Ell ert h- Fara gh er affi rm at iv e de fen se as a m at te r of la w an d is en ti tl ed to su m m ary

jud gm en t on th at ba si s, we al so de cl in e to ad dr es s th e m eri ts of ap pe ll an ts ' se xu al an d

raci al ha ras sm en t cl ai m s.

III.

Acco rd in gl y , th e jud gm en t o f th e d is tri ct co ur t i s af fir m ed

.

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