EEOC v. V&J Foods, Inc., No. 07-1009, Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals (November 7, 2007)
Articles Discussing Case:
Cookie-Cutter Employment Policies Don't Cut It.
Vedder Price • December 20, 2007
A solid defense to a claim of sexual harassment is
evidence that the complaining employee never reported
the harassment before fi ling a charge. But what if the
company’s anti-harassment policy doesn’t explain how
employees should report such matters, or fails to identify
the person to whom complaints should be made?
Seventh Circuit Finds Employer's Harassment Complaint Procedures Insufficient.
Ogletree Deakins • December 11, 2007
The federal appellate court with jurisdiction over Illinois employers recently reinstated a lawsuit brought against the owner of a fast food restaurant whose manager allegedly verbally and physically propositioned a 16-year-old employee. According to the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals, the employee who was later fired by her manager because her mother complained about the harassment could proceed with her retaliation claim. The Seventh Circuit also held that the trial judge had improperly granted summary judgment to the employer on the harassment claim where the record reflected that the employer’s policies were both confusing and ineffective.
