Opinion ID: 3003428
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: facts

Text: We present the facts in the light most favorable to Roby. Roby began working for CWI as a cashier in May 2005 at CWI’s store in Bolingbrook, Illinois. At the time, Schiavone worked in the service shop of the store. Roby contends that Schiavone began making sexually suggestive statements to her in June 2005. According to Roby, on one occasion Schiavone went to her station to get money and kneeled down near her legs. When Roby asked if she should move, Schiavone responded, “No, I like it down here.” On another occasion, Schiavone left work to test drive a truck. When Schiavone returned, he told Roby and Laura Philips, Roby’s co-worker, that the test drive got him excited and that his pants were now tight. He also nudged Roby at that time, suggesting that his comment was sexual. Roby did not report these incidents at the time that they occurred, and sometime in either June or July she took maternity leave. While Roby was on leave, Schiavone reportedly told another supervisor, Chris Gartzke, that he would either lose his job or his wife when Roby reNo. 08-3513 3 turned from maternity leave. When Gartzke asked Schiavone what he meant by the comment, Schiavone responded that he could tell by the way Roby looked at him that “she wants me.” When Roby later learned heard about this comment, it made her feel uncomfortable. Roby subsequently returned to work in September 2005. While she was working at a computer station, Schiavone came up behind her and pressed his body against her buttocks, making Roby feel uncomfortable. On other occasions, Schiavone would put his arm around Roby’s shoulders and become aggravated when Roby asked him to leave her alone. Schiavone evidently ignored Roby’s protestations because at one point he slapped her on the buttocks with a file. When Roby told Schiavone not to touch her, he replied, “Ooh, feisty.” Thereafter, on or about November 8, 2005, Roby had a casual conversation with Philips seeking feedback on Schiavone. Roby commented that she could inform the corporate office about something that it “would not be applauding” about Schiavone. General Manger Karl Ziarko overheard the comment and had Roby follow him and Retail Sales Manager Tim Heaton to the store office to explain the comment. Roby then revealed what she perceived to be inappropriate conduct by Schiavone. Upon hearing Roby’s complaints, Ziarko immediately relayed it to Human Resources Manager Sarah Sack. Sack promptly began an investigation, interviewing various employees about the allegations. She instructed the interviewees that the investigation was confidential. She also reviewed a written statement Roby had prepared 4 No. 08-3513 and Schiavone’s personnel file, which did not contain any prior complaints. In addition, while Sack was conducting her investigation, Ziarko and Heaton attempted to rework the store schedule to ensure that at least one of them would be in the store during all working hours so that Roby would be comfortable at work and know that she could approach them at anytime. Given the small number of employees at the store, they could not prepare a schedule that prevented an overlap in Roby’s and Shiavone’s schedules. However, they did try to minimize the times when they would close the store together. Roby, for her part, contends that she repeatedly complained about having to work with Schiavone and requested that this not occur. While the investigation was still being conducted, Roby informed Sack that Schiavone was “looking at her funny” by glaring and staring at her and saying that “nothing happens to a Mason.” Roby also told Ziarko, who relayed to Sack, that Schiavone pushed her on the hip and told her to “hurry up” and assist with the store closing when she was socializing with a co-worker. Sack included these incidents in her investigation. Moreover, Roby complained that Gartzke and another employee violated confidentiality by speaking to her about her allegations against Schiavone, and she claimed that Gartzke asked if she would sue him if he tried to get in the car with her. Sack investigated this latter complaint and learned that the other employee had not said anything inappropriate and was not even aware of the allegations before the conversation or its confidentiality. Gartzke, on the other hand, was immediately terminated for breaching confidentiality. No. 08-3513 5 After completing her investigation, Sack concluded that Schiavone’s conduct did not rise to the level of unlawful harassment. However, she found that his comments about “liking it down here” and the tight pants were inappropriate. As a result, Schiavone received a threepage written warning and was required to undergo antiharassment policy training and reviews. Schiavone was also told that if he spoke to Roby about the incidents or attempted to retaliate he would be terminated. He claims that he engaged in no further activity, although Roby claims that the stares and glares continued and she thought that Schiavone wanted to get her. In addition to the disciplinary measures, Roby received a letter dated November 28, 2005, that thanked her for coming forward, informed her that corrective action was being taken, and reminded her that she should immediately report further instances of inappropriate conduct to Ziarko or Human Resources. Toward the end of December, Roby contacted Sack and told her that she did not want to finish her shift because she was scheduled to close the store alone with Schiavone. CWI contends that this was not true and that someone else was scheduled to work as well. Nonetheless, Sack took Roby at her word and gave her permission to go home. Sack also told Roby that she was excused from work until Ziarko returned from vacation in early January 2006. In early January 2006, Roby stopped by the store to meet with Ziarko and Heaton and requested never to be scheduled to work at the same time as Schiavone. Ziarko 6 No. 08-3513 communicated the request to Human Resources but could not accommodate Roby because of the store’s small size; however, CWI attempted to ensure that the two would not have to close the store together. Around the same time, Roby called Sack, who told her that she was on the schedule and to contact Ziarko and Heaton about returning to work. Roby asserts that she understood that she was on some sort of leave; however, she never returned to work again or informed CWI that she did not want to work at the store anymore. Nonetheless, CWI continued to pay Roby through February 2006 and kept her on the weekly schedule until March 2006, and it listed her as “active” on its payroll system until September 2007. At no time did CWI tell Roby that she was terminated.