Opinion ID: 759214
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: facts

Text: 2 Because this appeal involves the grant of a motion for summary judgment, we review the facts in the light most favorable to Coates, who is the non-moving party in this case. Vickie Coates began working as a forklift operator in the shipping and receiving department of Sundor Corporation, an Atlanta-based Proctor and Gamble (P&G) subsidiary, on January 21, 1992. In approximately January of 1994, Coates was transferred to the storeroom, where she worked closely with plant buyer Emmett (Ernie) Long, spending approximately one-fourth of her workday in Long's office. During that time, the pair were isolated from other employees. Coates and Long were supervised by Nancy Christman, who in turn was supervised by technical systems manager Lloyd McLean. 3 On October 19, 1994, Coates confided in co-worker Mike Lee, who was also an ordained minister, that Long had been engaging in behavior toward her that included offering her money for sex, calling her at home and leaving unwelcome amorous messages, and threatening to kidnap her and take her to Arkansas. Lee immediately brought Coates's allegations to the attention of Mike Sanders, Sundor's Human Resources Manager, although at Coates's request Lee did not identify her or Long by name. During this meeting with Sanders, Lee agreed to speak to the harasser about the allegations, which he did that same day. Coates had been initially reluctant to bring her allegations to the attention of management, but after Lee spoke to Long, Lee convinced Coates to accompany him to Sanders's office to speak to Sanders directly about the problem. 4 Despite Lee's interview with Long, Long's harassment continued until September 1995. In the months following Coates's meeting with Sanders, Sanders several times asked Coates how things were going. In response to each inquiry, Coates indicated that things were fine. She did not mention the harassment again to Sanders or to Lee. 5 Sometime between November 1994 and January 1995, Coates approached Christman with the intention of telling her of the harassment. Because Coates had previously discussed personal matters with Christman, Christman asked Coates if the matter she wished to discuss was personal or professional. When Coates responded that it was personal, Christman said that she was too busy to talk with her at that time about personal matters. At no point during this exchange did Coates convey to Christman that the issue she wished to discuss concerned sexual harassment. 6 In March or April of 1995, Coates met with McLean, who was preparing for an imminent departure to Japan on business. At this meeting, Coates talked to him about the work being done in the storeroom, about proposed strategies for improving productivity in her area, and about her own career prospects. At some point during this meeting, she showed McLean a note she had received that read: From the Desk of Ernie Long, Hey Sweetheart $100 for 45 minutes of hugging and kissing or $100 for stop loving Vickie guarantee. In her deposition testimony, Coates does not elaborate on any further conversation between her and McLean on this issue. 7 On September 17, 1995, Coates told Blanche Sullivan, a P&G consultant who was visiting the Sundor plant, about the harassment. Sullivan encouraged her to speak to Christman or Sanders, and later that same day or the next morning, Coates reported the harassment to Christman. Immediately after hearing from Coates, Christman and Earl Graham, another manager, confronted Long. After some discussion, Christman informed Long that he was suspended without pay pending an investigation and that he was not to contact Coates. Later that day, Long resigned. On September 21, 1995, Coates took a medical leave of absence. She resigned on March 21, 1996. 8 Coates subsequently filed suit against Sundor and Long in the Northern District of Georgia, alleging that she had been subject to hostile work environment sexual harassment in violation of Title VII. 1 In assessing the merits of Sundor's motion for summary judgment, the magistrate judge analyzed Coates's claim according to the test for employer liability for a Title VII violation established in Henson v. City of Dundee, 682 F.2d 897, 903-05 (11th Cir.1982). Although Sundor conceded that Coates had suffered hostile work environment sexual harassment, the magistrate found that a reasonable jury could only conclude that [Sundor] took prompt and remedial action [in response to the plaintiff's complaints]. The district court adopted the magistrate's recommendations, and granted summary judgment to Sundor. Coates appealed.