Opinion ID: 895233
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: The Common-Law Claim Fails

Text: A claim that an employer negligently supervised and retained an employee who sexually harassed a coworker transmutes TCHRA-covered harassment into a common-law tort. Sexual harassment as a legal claim is a statutory creation of legislators, not a common-law creation of judges. As Williams' tort claim is grounded on sexual harassment, it would impose liability for failing to prevent a harm not cognizable under Texas common law. Further, recognizing a common-law cause of action in this context would negate the Legislature's carefully balanced and detailed statutory regime applicable to sexual-harassment claims, and effectively repeal the TCHRA in sexual-harassment cases where physical contact occurs. For these and other reasons discussed above, we conclude that Williams' common-law claim for negligent supervision and retention must yield to the Legislature's statutory framework for sexual-harassment claims. Williams' remedy, if any, lies there.