Workplace Sexual Rumors as Gender Bias Set for 10th Cir. Debate

A federal appeals court in Denver will consider whether false rumors about a professor having a sexual relationship with a student are sufficiently related to his gender to be covered by federal anti-discrimination law.

Counsel for Ron Throupe will try to convince the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit to revive his hostile work environment claim against the University of Denver during oral argument Thursday. The lower court that threw out the claim said the rumors applied to both Throupe and the student—whom he later legally adopted—and therefore wasn’t based on gender.

The case gives the Tenth Circuit ...