Opinion ID: 657321
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Cosgrove's sexual harassment claim

Text: 27 Cosgrove based her claim of sexual harassment on remarks allegedly made by two male co-workers, and an offensive note received from an anonymous source. While these events are unacceptable, they do not rise to the level required to make a prima facie case of sexual harassment. As the district court correctly found, the harassment must be sufficiently severe or pervasive so as to alter the conditions of the victim's employment and create an abusive working environment. This principle was recently reaffirmed by the Supreme Court in Harris v. Forklift Sys., Inc., --- U.S. ----, ----, 114 S.Ct. 367, 368, 126 L.Ed.2d 295 (1993) (When the workplace is permeated with 'discriminatory intimidation, ridicule, and insult' ... that is 'sufficiently severe or pervasive [so as] to alter the conditions of the victim's employment and create an abusive working environment,' ... Title VII is violated.) (quoting Meritor Sav. Bank, FSB v. Vinson, 477 U.S. 57, 65, 67, 106 S.Ct. 2399, 2404-05, 2405, 91 L.Ed.2d 49 (1986)). In order to establish a prima facie case of sexual harassment based upon a hostile work environment, a plaintiff must demonstrate: (1) that she is a member of a protected group; (2) that she was the subject of unwelcome advances; (3) that the harassment was based upon her sex; and (4) that the harassment affected a term, condition or privilege of employment. See Meritor, 477 U.S. at 63-69, 106 S.Ct. at 2403-07. A plaintiff must also demonstrate in a hostile work environment case that the supervisor's [or co-worker's] actions should be imputed to the employer. Kotcher v. Rosa and Sullivan Appliance Ctr., Inc., 957 F.2d 59, 62 (2d Cir.1992). 28 Cosgrove failed to establish a prima facie case. While Cosgrove is clearly a member of a protected group, and was the subject of unwelcome remarks and advances based upon her gender, she failed to demonstrate that (a) the alleged harassment affected a term, condition or privilege of her employment with Sears, or (b) that the actions of her co-workers should be imputed to Sears. Accordingly, she failed to prove sexual harassment, and that portion of the judgment of the district court is affirmed. 29