Case analysis from Bass, Berry & Sims attorney Tim Garrett was included in an article outlining the impact of the Sixth Circuit’s Ault v. Oberlin College decision. In this case, the Court ruled that a one-time harassment event can be the basis for a hostile work environment. According to Tim’s analysis, “employers should prudently investigate harassment claims even if it’s one employee’s word against another. [E]mployers who fail to investigate and address inappropriate comments may face escalating problems and then lawsuits.”
The full article, “Court Ruling Finds One-time Harassment Can Constitute a Hostile Work Environment,” was published by the Phoenix Business Journal on October 12, 2015 and is available online.
Tim’s full analysis of this case was published in the HR Law Talk Blog post from July 28, 2015 titled “Single Severe Act Can Be Sexual Harassment – But How ‘Severe’?“