A tale of two employers 12-15-00
- By Ann F. Kiernan

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness," wrote Charles Dickens in A Tale of Two Cities. Here's the tale of two employers - one wise and one foolish - and how they handled sexual harassment claims.

Patricia Books was a dispatcher for the San Mateo, CA, Police Department. One night, a male co-worker told her she was sexy, placing his hand on her stomach. Although Ms. Brooks told him to stop and forcefully pushed him away, the co-worker forced his hand underneath her sweater and bra to fondle her bare breast. He stopped only when another dispatcher showed up.

Ms. Brooks immediately reported the incident, and the co-worker was suspended. During the investigation, two other women reported his harassing conduct, and the harasser resigned before he could be fired. He later served four months in jail on sexual assault charges.

Although what happened to Ms. Brooks was vile, she lost her sexual harassment case against her employer, since the federal appeals court found that San Mateo had acted properly in investigating the incident, and taking prompt remedial action.

Compare that what happened to Cheryl Conner when she reported sexual harassment and discrimination at Schrader-Bridgeport Int'l Inc. Despite repeated complaints, her supervisor did almost nothing. He was so hostile to her that, when Ms. Conner was suffering a recurrence of post-surgical uterine hemorrhaging, he refused to let her go home until she showed him her bloodied clothing. When Ms. Conner went to the plant manager with her sexual discrimination complaints, he screamed at her that "If this ever comes out of your mouth again, you will be fired right here on the spot right now."

After appeal, the jury verdict in favor of Ms. Connor - including punitive damages - was affirmed.

Brooks v. City of San Mateo, 229 F.3d 917 (9th Cir. 2000);
Conner v. Schrader-Bridgeport Int'l, Inc., 227 F.3d 179 (4th Cir. 2000)

Want to be sure you're handling sexual harassment complaints properly? Check out our investigation checklist. Think you've been the victim of unlawful harassment? Try the victim's checklist.

Information here is correct at the time it is posted. Case decisions cited here may be reversed. Please do not rely on this information without consulting an attorney first.