Opinion ID: 613272
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 11

Heading: Application of the Faragher/Ellerth Defense

Text: Having concluded that legally the Faragher/Ellerth defense is available to the State, we now turn to Helm's final argument, which is that even if the Faragher/Ellerth defense is legally available to the State, genuine issues of material fact preclude summary judgment. As set forth above, to take advantage of the defense, the employer must factually demonstrate (a) that [it] exercised reasonable care to prevent and correct promptly any sexually harassing behavior, and (b) that the plaintiff employee unreasonably failed to take advantage of any preventive or corrective opportunities provided by the employer or to avoid harm otherwise. Faragher, 524 U.S. at 807, 118 S.Ct. 2275; Ellerth, 524 U.S. at 765, 118 S.Ct. 2257. We address these two factual elements of the defense in turn.