Opinion ID: 44149
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Olson’s Complaints

Text: In her deposition, Olson devotes 20 pages to describing Senkle’s sexual comments and physical contact. Immediately after describing the sexual harassment, Olson testified that she informed Judy Hall, a department manager, about what Senkle was saying to her, as follows: Question: Did you ever tell any member of management that you did not want [Senkle] to work with you because of the statements he was making to you? Olson: Yes. Question: Who did you tell? Olson: Judy Hall Question: And what position did Judy Hall have? 3 Specifically, Olson was diagnosed as having a cervical sprain, facial pain, tension headache, intermittent right radicular pain and numbness, and post-traumatic stress syndrome accompanied by anxiety, depression, headache, difficulty concentrating, and apprehension of going back to work. 4 Olson: She was, at the time, if I recall, she was a department manager of millworks. ... Question: Did you ask Judy Hall to tell anybody else? Olson: . . . Judy Hall informed me that she was going to tell Sandra Bell. Question: And who was Sandra Bell? Olson: Sandra Bell was a -- she was in charge of three different departments. And I think she was an MOD. Question: Why didn’t you tell Sandra Bell anything? Olson: Because I trusted Judy, and she was friends with Sandy Bell, and she assured me that she would tell Sandy. Question: Did you ever tell Judy not to report anything or tell anybody else about what you had told her? Olson: No.4 Question: And how many times did you go to Judy Hall to complain about what Ron Senkle was saying to you or about you? Olson: I can recall two incidents that I talked to Judy Hall about Ron Senkle. ... 4 In contrast, according to Hall, Olson “didn’t want the incident blown out of proportion or reported because [Senkle] has so many friends throughout the store, and [Olson] thought that it would – everybody would be against her [Olson] . . . .” 5 Olson: There was an incident when I went to break, and she was in the back on break. And I was upset. And she asked me, you know, “Chris, what’s wrong?” And I said, “Well, I have to work with Ron. And there’s things that he’s saying that are, you know pretty out there.” Or I would tell . . . her about how he had approached me or some things that he would say. She would say to me, “Well, I have to go to lunch with Sandy today. Let me talk to her, and I’ll get back to you.” Then there was an incident after I had said to her, that I seen [sic] her again, and she asked me, “well, what did [Senkle] say to you today?” And then I would tell her something that he would say [sic]. . . . Question: Well, how many times did you go to Judy Hall with the intent to have Ms. Hall report your complaints about Ron Senkle? Olson: I can recall twice. Question: And the first time was when you were upset? Olson: Yes: Question: And the second time was when? Olson: The second time is when I was on break and she was on break, and I ran into her back there, and she approached me saying, “So, what is [Senkle] doing today?” And I would tell her what either [Senkle] said to me or what comments that he made, or so on and so forth. Question: And at that time did you ask her or tell her to report that to management? Olson: No, she told me she was going to report it. Question: Did you ask her to report it? Olson: I did say to her that something needed to be done about [Senkle]. 6 Hall herself acknowledged that what Olson was reporting was sexual harassment. In her deposition, Hall testified that, after her first meeting with Olson, she informed Olson “that if [Olson] told [Senkle] to stop and he continued to do it, that would be considered sexual harassment at that point.” Thus, in the light most favorable to Olson, the evidence shows that Olson reported Senkle’s comments to Hall, and Hall considered them sexual harassment.5 As explained later, Lowe’s policies provided that an employee could complain to any “member of management.” According to both Olson and Hall, Hall was an appropriate member of Lowe’s management to report incidents of sexual harassment. After these two complaints to Hall, Olson also complained to Hall about the kissing incident on July 9, 2002. Hall reported Olson’s complaint to assistant store manager Bell, who took Olson to human resources representative Flo Conway. The incident was reported immediately to store manager Dale Yori, who interviewed Olson, Bell, Senkle, and McNaron. Within hours of Olson’s July 9 complaint, Lowe’s terminated Senkle for sexual harassment.6 5 Olson admits that she did not specifically label Senkle’s conduct “sexual harassment” when speaking with Hall. However, Olson contends that she reported to Hall what Senkle was saying, and Hall’s testimony is some evidence that Hall considered Senkle’s comments to constitute sexual harassment. 6 Olson had three meetings with store manager Yori about the kissing incident. At the first meeting, Olson explained to Bell, Conway, and Yori what had happened. During the 7 After the kissing incident, Olson was placed on light duty. According to Olson, employees were upset with her because she was responsible for Senkle’s firing. Hall informed Olson that Olson’s new supervisor, Lisa Lewis, was trying to get Olson fired. Olson stopped working in April 2003 after Conway told her that no more light duty positions were available. In September 2003, Olson was again told that there were no light duty positions available. Olson has not reported for work at Lowe’s since April 2003.