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BURLINGTON INDUSTRIES, INC. v. ELLERTH

Opinion of the Court

tangible job beneﬁts.
In the summer of 1993, while on a
business trip, Slowik invited Ellerth to the hotel lounge, an
invitation Ellerth felt compelled to accept because Slowik
was her boss. App. 155. When Ellerth gave no encourage-
ment to remarks Slowik made about her breasts, he told her
to “loosen up” and warned, “you know, Kim, I could make
Id., at 156.
your life very hard or very easy at Burlington.”
In March 1994, when Ellerth was being considered for a
promotion, Slowik expressed reservations during the promo-
tion interview because she was not “loose enough.”
Id., at
159. The comment was followed by his reaching over and
rubbing her knee.
Ibid. Ellerth did receive the promotion;
but when Slowik called to announce it, he told Ellerth,
“you’re gonna be out there with men who work in factories,
and they certainly like women with pretty butts/legs.”
Id.,
at 159–160.

In May 1994, Ellerth called Slowik, asking permission to
insert a customer’s logo into a fabric sample. Slowik re-
sponded, “I don’t have time for you right now, Kim . . .—
unless you want to tell me what you’re wearing.”
Id., at 78.
Ibid.
Ellerth told Slowik she had to go and ended the call.
A day or two later, Ellerth called Slowik to ask permission
again. This time he denied her request, but added some-
thing along the lines of, “are you wearing shorter skirts yet,
Kim, because it would make your job a whole heck of a lot
easier.”

Id., at 79.

A short time later, Ellerth’s immediate supervisor cau-
tioned her about returning telephone calls to customers in a
prompt fashion.
In response, Ellerth
quit. She faxed a letter giving reasons unrelated to the al-
leged sexual harassment we have described.
Ibid. About
three weeks later, however, she sent a letter explaining she
quit because of Slowik’s behavior.

912 F. Supp., at 1109.

Ibid.

During her tenure at Burlington, Ellerth did not inform
anyone in authority about Slowik’s conduct, despite knowing
Ibid.
Burlington had a policy against sexual harassment.