Opinion ID: 1060691
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: Supreme Court's Holdings in Faragher and Ellerth

Text: The Supreme Court granted certiorari in Faragher and Ellerth to define the standard for imposing employer liability in supervisor sexual harassment cases. In Ellerth , the Court was asked to decide whether an employee who refuses unwelcome and threatening sexual advances by a supervisor but suffers no adverse job consequences can recover against the employer without showing that the employer was negligent or otherwise at fault. Id. at 2262. In Faragher , the Court sought to identify the circumstances under which an employer may be held liable under Title VII for supervisor-created hostile work environment found to be sexual harassment. Faragher, 118 S.Ct. at 2280. The Supreme Court held that employers are vicariously liable for all forms of supervisor sexual harassment actionable under Title VII regardless of whether the conduct constitutes quid pro quo sexual harassment or hostile work environment sexual harassment. The Court rejected the argument that the scope of employment was the only basis for defining employer liability. The Court looked generally to the Restatement of Agency § 219(2)(d) [3] and held that: An employer is subject to vicarious liability to a victimized employee for an actionable hostile work environment created by a supervisor with immediate (or successively higher) authority over the employee. When no tangible employment action is taken, a defending employer may raise an affirmative defense to liability or damages, subject to proof by a preponderance of the evidence, ... The defense comprises two necessary elements: (a) that the employer 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.... No affirmative defense is available, however, when the supervisor's sexual harassment culminates in a tangible employment action.... Faragher, 118 S.Ct. at 2292-93; Ellerth, 118 S.Ct. at 2270. Accordingly, an employer may now avoid liability for supervisor sexual harassment under Title VII only when: (1) a tangible employment action has not occurred; and (2) the employer establishes by a preponderance of the evidence that it meets the required elements of the affirmative defense. Under the newly enunciated standard, the Court reversed the Eleventh Circuit in Faragher and held that the City of Boca Raton was vicariously liable for the supervisor-created hostile work environment found by the district court. The Court found that Faragher did not experience a tangible employment action. The Court, therefore, analyzed whether the City could establish the affirmative defense. The Court held that, based upon the findings of the trial court, the City failed to exercise reasonable care to prevent the sexual harassment and was unable to avail itself of the affirmative defense. Faragher, 118 S.Ct. at 2293. Similarly, the Court held in Ellerth that Burlington was vicariously liable for Slowik's conduct in creating a hostile work environment. Ellerth did not sustain a tangible job loss, so the affirmative defense was available to Burlington. The Court remanded Ellerth to afford Burlington the opportunity to establish the affirmative defense.