Chambers v. Trettco, Inc.
Chambers v. Trettco, Inc.
Opinion of the Court
This case returns to this Court on remand from our Supreme Court. Because the facts are set forth in detail in our earlier opinion, Chambers v Trettco, Inc, 232 Mich App 560, 562-564; 591 NW2d 413 (1998) (Chambers I), and in the Supreme Court’s decision that vacated our prior opinion and remanded the matter, Chambers v Trettco, Inc, 463 Mich 297, 303-306; 614 NW2d 910 (2000) (Chambers
Plaintiff brought a claim of sexual harassment against defendant, her employer, under the Civil Rights Act, MCL 37.2101 et seq.; MSA 3.548(101) et seq., alleging both quid pro quo harassment and hostile workplace harassment. The jury accepted both theories and awarded damages. A divided panel of this Court, relying heavily on recent federal cases construing title VII of the federal Civil Rights Act, 42 USC 2000e et seq., affirmed. Our Supreme Court in turn held that this Court’s reliance on the federal case law was misplaced, Chambers II, supra at 313-316, dismissed plaintiff’s claim of quid pro quo harassment, and vacated our prior opinion and remanded the case to this Court for resolution of the hostile environment harassment claim in accordance with Michigan precedents. Id. at 326. We reverse and remand.
Plaintiff alleged that a temporary supervisor, assigned to her work station for four days while her regular supervisor was on vacation, engaged in a pattern of seriously suggestive and offensive behavior, and did so over plaintiff’s clear objections. Plaintiff complained to co-workers about wishing to leave her job, but she did not initiate the proceedings for sexual harassment complaints set forth in defendant’s employee handbook. However, plaintiff happened to answer the telephone when defendant’s regional director of operations telephoned. The latter sensed that something was wrong, but plaintiff chose not to explain the problem, apparently because the offender was nearby. The director indicated that he would talk to plaintiff later, but no meeting between plaintiff and
Section 202 of our Civil Rights Act provides that an employer may not “discharge, or otherwise discriminate against an individual with respect to employment, . . . because of . . . sex, ... or marital status.” MCL 37.2202; MSA 3.548(202). Subsection 103(i) clarifies that “[discrimination because of sex includes sexual harassment,” which the subsection defines as “unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, or other verbal or physical conduct or communication of a sexual nature,” under certain circumstances. MCL 37.2103; MSA 3.548(103)(i). Qualifying circumstances include, under subsection 103(i)(w), where the employee’s submission to or rejection of sexual overtures “is used as a factor in decisions affecting the individual’s employment,” and, under subsection 103(i)(m), where “[t]he conduct or communication has the purpose or effect of substantially interfering with an individual’s employment, ... or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive employment . . . environment.” MCL 37.2103(i)(n) and (m); MSA 3.548(103)(i)(ü) and (m).
Our statute thus expressly recognizes sexual harassment as a prohibited form of discrimination and carefully distinguishes between what are commonly labeled “quid pro quo” harassment and “hostile environment” harassment. The federal Civil Rights Act does neither, but merely prohibits discrimination based on sex. Chambers II, supra at 315, citing 42
In light of our Supreme Court’s opinion directing us to apply only Michigan precedents, we now conclude that the facts as plaintiff alleged them cannot render defendant in this case vicariously hable for its temporary supervisor’s conduct in establishing a hostile working environment. Plaintiff’s general indication to defendant’s regional director over the telephone that something was wrong did not sufficiently alert him to the problem to the extent that the director, and thus defendant, could reasonably be charged with actual
For these reasons, we reverse and remand this case to the trial court with instructions to enter a judgment in favor of defendant.
Reversed and remanded. We do not retain jurisdiction.
Dissenting Opinion
(dissenting). I respectfully dissent and would again affirm the jury’s verdict. This is a sexual harassment case in which plaintiff, a cook for defendant, was sexually harassed by Paul Wolshon, a floating supervisor, while he was supervising at defendant’s facility in Ann Arbor in July 1995. Following a jury trial, the jury specially found that Wolshon sexually assaulted or molested plaintiff through the use of
This Court initially affirmed,
According to our Supreme Court, the “central question to be addressed on remand is whether plaintiff presented sufficient evidence to demonstrate that
The issue of vicarious liability was preserved by defendant when it moved for a directed verdict at the close of plaintiff’s proofs. A trial court’s ruling on a motion for a directed verdict is reviewed de novo. Meagher v Wayne State Univ, 222 Mich App 700, 708; 565 NW2d 401 (1997). When reviewing a motion for a directed verdict, the evidence and all reasonable inferences from that evidence are reviewed in a light most favorable to the nonmoving party. Kubczak v Chemical Bank & Trust Co, 456 Mich 653, 663; 575 NW2d 745 (1998). Directed verdicts are appropriate only when no factual question exists on which reasonable minds could differ. Brisboy v Fibreboard Corp, 429 Mich 540, 549; 418 NW2d 650 (1988).
As found in our previous opinion, I believe that, taken in a light most favorable to plaintiff, there was sufficient evidence presented at trial for the jury to conclude that defendant failed to take prompt remedial action after it knew or should have known that plaintiff had been sexually harassed. The evidence adduced at trial shows that plaintiff began working
Plaintiff testified that she spoke with Kevin McLaughlin, the regional director of operations, on the telephone, she believed on Wednesday, July 6. McLaughlin had called the facility, and plaintiff admitted at trial that, while on the telephone, she was being evasive with him. According to plaintiff, McLaughlin asked her, “There’s something wrong, isn’t there?” She stated that there was and he further inquired if she could tell him. She stated that she could not and McLaughlin said, “I’ll be in there to talk to you.” Plaintiff testified that she did not tell McLaughlin of Wolshon’s behavior because Wolshon was standing directly in front of her during this telephone conversation. In fact, plaintiff testified that Wolshon was constantly in the kitchen area during the week he supervised at the ADP facility, and this was confirmed by Cade. Although McLaughlin told plaintiff that he would be in later that week, plaintiff stated that he did not show up and talk to her that week.
When Hostutler returned to her supervisory position after her vacation on the following Monday,
With regard to defendant’s antiharassment policy, plaintiff testified that she did not remember receiving any employment handbook, that she did not remember signing a statement stating that she had read the handbook, and that she was not aware that defendant had an antiharassment policy. The policy required employees to contact George Cousins, a vice president, but when asked at trial if she ever attempted to contact Cousins, plaintiff stated, “I don’t even know who he is.” Further, McLaughlin testified at length regarding defendant’s harassment policy and that new hires are supposed to sign an acknowledgment form. However, defendant never produced any acknowledgment form at trial showing that plaintiff, in fact, received and read the employee handbook.
Regarding vicarious liability, the jury was instructed pursuant to Radtke and Champion v Nation Wide Security, Inc, 450 Mich 702; 545 NW2d 596 (1996). The evidence and reasonable inferences from the evidence at trial, taken in a light most favorable to plaintiff, supports the jury’s verdict that defendant had adequate notice of the sexual harassment of plaintiff by her supervisor and that defendant failed to rectify the problem, that being Wolshon’s conduct of sexually harassing plaintiff. I emphasize that it was for the jury to make credibility determinations, to resolve conflicts in the evidence, to weigh the evidence, to accept or reject any of the evidence, and to draw any reasonable inferences from the evidence that it chose to draw. Brisboy, supra at 550; Johnson v Corbet, 423 Mich 304, 314; 377 NW2d 713 (1985); Thomas v McGinnis, 239 Mich App 636, 643-644; 609
Accordingly, I would find that there was sufficient evidence from which the jury could conclude that defendant received notice of the supervisor’s harassment toward plaintiff and that defendant did not take adequate remedial action to stop the harassment. I would affirm the jury’s verdict.
Chambers v Trettco, Inc, 232 Mich App 560; 591 NW2d 413 (1998).
See 42 USC 2000e et seq.
Interestingly, while our Supreme Court stated that we “erroneously failed to apply controlling Michigan legal principles regarding sexual harassment claims brought under Michigan law, and instead applied the federal principles announced in Faragher and Ellerth," Chambers, supra, 463 Mich 318, the Court in Radtlce, supra at 397, relied exclusively on federal cases, Katz v Dole, 709 F2d 251 (CA 4, 1983), and Henson v Dundee, 682 F2d 897 (CA 11, 1982), in determining that an employer must have notice of the alleged harassment before being held liable for not implementing action. The United States Supreme Court in Faragher and Ellerth did not follow the notice principles set forth in Katz and Henson.
Reference
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