Document ID: ./input/supremecourt_opinions/opinions/12pdf/11-556_11o2.pdf
Page Number: 41

Cite as:  570 U. S. ____ (2013) 

7 

GINSBURG, J., dissenting 

to-day  activities.”    Id.,  at  808  (internal  quotation  marks 
and brackets omitted).

We may assume that Terry would fall within the defini-
tion of supervisor the Court adopts today.  See ante, at 9.1 
But  nothing  in  the  Faragher  record  shows  that  Silver-
man  would.  Silverman  had  oversight  and  assignment 
responsibilities—he could punish lifeguards who would not 
date  him  with  full-time  toilet-cleaning  duty—but  there
was  no  evidence  that  he  had  authority  to  take  tangible
employment actions.  See Faragher, 524 U. S., at 780–781. 
Holding that Boca Raton was vicariously liable for Silver-
man’s harassment, id., at 808–809, the Court characterized 
him  as  Faragher’s  supervisor,  see  id.,  at  780,  and  there 
was no dissent on that point, see id., at 810 (THOMAS, J., 
dissenting).

Subsequent  decisions  reinforced  Faragher’s  use  of  the 
term “supervisor” to encompass employees with authority
to direct the daily work of their victims.  In Pennsylvania 
State  Police  v.  Suders,  542  U. S.  129,  140  (2004),  for  ex-
ample,  the  Court  considered  whether  a  constructive  dis-
charge  occasioned  by  supervisor  harassment  ranks  as  a
tangible  employment  action.  The  harassing  employees 
lacked  authority  to  discharge  or  demote  the  complainant, 

—————— 

1 It  is  not  altogether  evident  that  Terry  would  qualify  under  the 
Court’s  test.    His  authority  to  hire  was  subject  to  approval  by  higher 
management,  Faragher  v.  Boca  Raton,  524  U. S.  775,  781  (1998),  and
there is scant indication that he possessed other powers on the Court’s 
list.  The  Court  observes  that  Terry  was  able  to  “recommen[d],”  and 
“initiat[e]”  tangible  employment  actions.  Ante,  at  15,  n. 8  (internal 
quotation  marks  omitted).    Nothing  in  the  Faragher  record,  however, 
shows  that  Terry  had  authority  to  take  such  actions  himself.    Far-
agher’s  complaint  alleged  that  Terry  said  he  would  never  promote  a 
female  lifeguard  to  the  rank  of  lieutenant,  524  U. S.,  at  780,  but  that
statement hardly suffices to establish that he had ultimate promotional
authority.    Had  Boca  Raton  anticipated  the  position  the  Court  today 
announces,  the  city  might  have  urged  classification  of  Terry  as  Far-
agher’s superior, but not her “supervisor.”