Opinion ID: 156353
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Employer Response

Text: 35 Plaintiff argues Wal-Mart responded inadequately to harassment of which it knew or should have known. This court has not yet enunciated a definitive test to measure an employer's response to hostile work environment sexual harassment. The relevant overarching doctrine drawn from principles of liability for acts of agents is that of negligence. See Hicks, 833 F.2d at 1417-18. Thus, the touchstone for the evaluation of an employer's response under Meritor and Hicks is reasonableness. An employer is not strictly liable for all harassment of which it actually or constructively knew; it may discharge its obligation by taking appropriate remedial or preventative action. See Meritor, 477 U.S. at 72, 106 S.Ct. 2399. 36 In Hirschfeld, we compared the employer's response to those which our sister circuits have found adequate, focusing on promptness and effectiveness. See Hirschfeld, 916 F.2d at 578. We implied in particular that stoppage of the harassment by the disciplined perpetrator evidences effectiveness, and noted the relevance of this fact in our sister circuits' cases. See id. at 578 (citing Steele v. Offshore Shipbuilding, Inc., 867 F.2d 1311, 1316 (11th Cir.1989); Swentek, 830 F.2d at 558-59); cf. Winsor v. Hinckley Dodge, Inc., 79 F.3d 996, 1002 (10th Cir.1996). The Ninth Circuit has explicitly held that the reasonableness of an employer response is measured by its ability to stop the harassment from the person disciplined. See Ellison v. Brady, 924 F.2d 872, 882 (9th Cir.1991). 37 In accordance with these principles and this court's precedents, we adopt the test employed by some of our sister circuits, asking whether the remedial and preventative action was reasonably calculated to end the harassment. Ellison, 924 F.2d at 882; see Knabe v. The Boury Corp., 114 F.3d 407, 412 (3d Cir.1997); Saxton v. AT & T Co., 10 F.3d 526, 535 (7th Cir.1993); Barrett v. Omaha Nat'l Bank, 726 F.2d 424, 427 (8th Cir.1984); Katz, 709 F.2d at 256. A stoppage of harassment shows effectiveness, which in turn evidences such reasonable calculation. However, this is not the sole factor to be considered. Because there is no strict liability and an employer must only respond reasonably, a response may be so calculated even though the perpetrator might persist. See Knabe, 114 F.3d at 411-12, 412 n. 8. 38 In cases where effectiveness is not readily evidenced by a stoppage, we consider the timeliness of the plaintiff's complaint, whether the employer unduly delayed, and whether the response was proportional to the seriousness and frequency of the harassment. See id. at 414; Saxton, 10 F.3d at 535; Hirschfeld, 916 F.2d at 578; Ellison, 924 F.2d at 882. Courts have explained that simply indicating to a perpetrator the existence of a policy against harassment is usually insufficient. See, e.g., Katz, 709 F.2d at 256. By way of example, responses that have been held reasonable have often included prompt investigation of the allegations, proactive solicitation of complaints, scheduling changes and transfers, oral or written warnings to refrain from harassing conduct, reprimands, and warnings that future misconduct could result in progressive discipline, including suspension and termination. See Knabe, 114 F.3d at 413; Hirschfeld, 916 F.2d at 578 & n. 6; Swentek, 830 F.2d at 558; Barrett, 726 F.2d at 427; cf. Ellison, 924 F.2d at 882 (citing E.E.O.C. Compliance Manual (CCH) § 615.4(a)(9)(iii), p 3103, at 3213 (1988)). 39 The employer is, of course, obliged to respond to any repeat conduct; and whether the next employer response is reasonable may very well depend upon whether the employer progressively stiffens its discipline, or vainly hopes that no response, or the same response as before, will be effective. Repeat conduct may show the unreasonableness of prior responses. On the other hand, an employer is not liable, although a perpetrator persists, so long as each response was reasonable. It follows that an employer is not required to terminate a perpetrator except where termination is the only response that would be reasonably calculated to the end the harassment. See Hirschfeld, 916 F.2d at 579 n. 6. (While there may be egregious cases where such action is the only option for an employer, in less serious cases a reprimand, brief suspension, or other remedial steps may be sufficient to remedy the situation.); see also Knabe, 114 F.3d at 414; Ellison, 924 F.2d at 882; Barrett, 726 F.2d at 427. 40 Unfortunately, some harassers may simply never change. Just as unfortunate, a victim may have to suffer repeated harassment while an employer progressively disciplines the perpetrator to determine whether he or she is just such a hard head case. It is some consolation for the victim that, to be reasonable, responses must progress more rapidly in proportion to more serious and frequent harassment. The courts, however, must balance the victim's rights, the employer's rights, and the alleged harasser's rights. If our rule were to call for excessive discipline, employers would inevitably face claims from the other direction of violations of due process rights and wrongful termination. See Knabe, 114 F.3d at 414 n. 12. 41 Plaintiff did not bring to the trial court's attention sufficient evidence to establish the essential element for employer liability that Wal-Mart inadequately responded to incidents of harassment of which it knew or should have known. On the contrary, the record shows that Wal-Mart's responses to each incident of which it had actual or constructive knowledge were prompt and either effective or proportional to the seriousness and frequency of the incidents, and therefore were reasonably calculated to end the harassment. Wal-Mart's responses utilized all of the measures provided above as examples which the law aims to encourage employers to utilize. 42 In January, after Mr. Kirchmeier learned of comments from workers off the floor, but Plaintiff would not disclose names, Mr. Kirchmeier could not discipline individual harassers. Notwithstanding this handicap, his response ended the harassment from these employees. See I Aplt.App. at 195. Plaintiff came forward with no evidence that Wal-Mart unduly delayed in responding to her report. Wal-Mart's response was prompt and its effectiveness shows it was reasonably calculated to end the harassment. Moreover, Mr. Kirchmeier then began asking Plaintiff periodically whether she was experiencing any problems. 43 After the December 1993 or January 1994 comments from Mr. Zalaznik, Mr. Larson had him apologize to Plaintiff. Plaintiff argues that this response was inadequate as evidenced by Mr. Zalaznik's repeat conduct in March. We do not consider Wal-Mart's response inadequate for several reasons. Mr. Zalaznik's March comment was in response to Plaintiff's teasing. His comment was not temporally proximate to the prior incident, but two to three months later. Finally, his comment was not made on the clock in the workplace, but off the clock and in the parking lot. These factors are important because whether a particular action or incident establishes a purely personal, social relationship without a discriminatory employment effect or constitutes sexual harassment depends upon the totality of the circumstances, including the nature of the conduct and its context. See Discrimination Because of Sex Under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as Amended; Adoption of Interim Interpretive Guidelines, 45 Fed.Reg. 25,024 (1980) (codified at 29 C.F.R. § 1604.11); 29 C.F.R. § 1604.11(b). 44 That Mr. Zalaznik regressed over a period of three months does not necessarily mean Wal-Mart's initial response was unreasonable. This was the first reported incident involving Mr. Zalaznik, so that Wal-Mart would not know what degree of discipline would be severe enough to deter him. Plaintiff failed to come forward with any evidence that Mr. Larson's response was unduly delayed. Thus, although Mr. Zalaznik ultimately required more severe discipline to subjectively deter him, we cannot say under the circumstances that Wal-Mart's response to these incidents was disproportionate to the seriousness and frequency of the harassment and thus unreasonable. See Knabe, 114 F.3d at 413 (holding under similar but more serious circumstances that counseling on policy without actual discipline was adequate response). 45 Following the March parking lot incident, Mr. Larson's response ended the harassment from Mr. Zalaznik. See I Aplt.App. at 265. Wal-Mart did not vainly hope the same discipline as before would be effective, but made this discipline progressively more severe. Mr. Larson considered even more severe discipline inappropriate for this incident because both employees were off the clock and in the parking lot, and we think this consideration reasonable. Mr. Larson's response was prompt and progressively more severe, and its effectiveness indicates that it was reasonably calculated to end the harassment. 46 After Plaintiff reported the August 14 harassment, Mr. Clauser began investigating within a day and disciplined both harassers for all discovered incidents. After Wal-Mart's response, Plaintiff testified that Mr. Berwick and Mr. McFarland stayed away from me and they didn't look at me. See I Aplt.App. at 278-79. In addition, Mr. Kirchmeier offered Plaintiff a promotion to forklift mechanic, in part to put her on a schedule giving her the least possible contact with Mr. Berwick and Mr. McFarland. Wal-Mart's response to the previously undiscovered incidents was not unduly delayed because Plaintiff's complaints were untimely. Wal-Mart's responses to these incidents were prompt and the stoppage shows they were reasonably calculated to end the harassment. 47 After receiving reports of the November incidents, Mr. Clauser immediately interviewed Mr. Runyon and Mr. Medina, who was thought to be the Larry involved in the November 9 incident. 5 Mr. Medina denied his involvement, and Plaintiff could not provide the full name of her alleged harasser. Mr. Clauser attempted to corroborate her story that Mr. Medina had harassed her, but was unable to do so. Mr. Clauser went ahead and counseled Mr. Medina on Wal-Mart's sexual harassment policy, but did not otherwise discipline him. This response was reasonable under the circumstances. See Knabe, 114 F.3d at 413. It would be unreasonable, and callous toward Mr. Medina's rights, for the law to require Wal-Mart to discipline Mr. Medina for events he denies, of which Wal-Mart could not find evidence, especially when the complainant cannot specifically identify the harasser. Moreover, there is no evidence that there was any subsequent harassment by Mr. Medina. Although Plaintiff only worked at the center one more day, there was no evidence to support an inference that she would have suffered further harassment by Mr. Medina had she worked longer. See Knabe, 114 F.3d at 413-15. Thus, Plaintiff has not met her burden to set forth specific facts showing that Wal-Mart's response to this report was lacking--either unduly delayed or ineffective. 48 Mr. Clauser disciplined Mr. Runyon in writing and counseled him on Wal-Mart's sexual harassment policy. Plaintiff argues on appeal that Mr. Runyon made light of her complaint the next day, evidencing the inadequacy of Wal-Mart's response. She did not, however, allege this incident in her verified complaint, nor did she refer the district court to any evidence of this allegation. Consequently, from the point of view of the district court, harassment by Mr. Runyon stopped after Mr. Clauser counseled him, evidencing that Wal-Mart's response was reasonable. Moreover, Plaintiff came forward with no evidence that would support an inference that she would have suffered further harassment by Mr. Runyon if she had worked at the center longer. See Knabe, 114 F.3d at 413-15. 49 Plaintiff argues that the district court applied the wrong law by considering responses adequate because they stopped the harassment by the disciplined harasser, even though others harassed in the future. The Ninth Circuit has held that in measuring the reasonableness of an employer response a court may consider whether other potential harassers are deterred. See Ellison, 924 F.2d at 882. We also think this fact relevant, but Plaintiff came forward with no evidence in the district court that any future harasser knew of, or was at all motivated by, any prior Wal-Mart response. Without evidence of such a nexus between a prior response and later harassment by others, the later harassment is irrelevant to the adequacy of the prior response. Thus, based on the materials to which Plaintiff directed the district court's attention, all known harassment was unconnected to any prior responses and stopped as a result of Wal-Mart's remedial and preventative actions. 50 The dissent does not seem to quarrel with this nexus requirement, but suggests that the result in this case should be different because circumstantial evidence can be enough. See Dissent at 685. Irrespective of what sort of evidence could have been sufficient, the record in this case is complete and Plaintiff failed to submit any evidence, direct or circumstantial, indicating that the nature of any prior Wal-Mart response bore any relationship whatsoever to any future harassment. 51 For the dissent, the mere occurrence of the future harassment is enough circumstantial evidence to draw an inference of the inadequacy of prior employer responses. Whether even the immediate firing of each harasser would have actually deterred future wrongdoers is purely speculative, and factually impossible if the future harassers did not know about those actions. Unless we hold employers strictly liable for failing to broadcast sensitive disciplinary matters to their entire workforces, we cannot predicate liability on this theory. In addition, if the dissent's inference is properly drawn on this record, it would be so in every case involving multiple incidents of harassment, and employers would be hard pressed to prove the negative--that future harassers were not motivated by prior employer responses. 6 52 We recognize the sensibility of taking measures to prevent sexual harassment in the first instance, although such measures are not mandatory. See 29 C.F.R. § 1604.11(f) (1997); Meritor, 477 U.S. at 73, 106 S.Ct. 2399; 3 Lex K. Larson, Employment Discrimination § 46.07[a] (2d ed.1997). The dissent's test, however, would make employers insurers against future sexual harassment by coworkers after an initial employer response, regardless of the nature of the response taken. This is liability without end. 53