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Abstract

Discrimination has long been established by the United States Supreme Court to be unconstitutional and illegal. Although the term hostile work environment is not specifically mentioned in the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (CRA), it has been most synonymous with claims of sexual harassment. Have the courts expanded the hostile work environment legal theory to include other protected classes in the CRA? This article analyzes and discusses recent appellate court cases with a claim of hostile work environment with the basis of some action other than sexual harassment. We explain why the courts, in the majority of cases, did not rule in favor of those who claimed hostile work environment, and then we summarize factors the courts used to determine their rulings. In addition, we provide suggestions to both employees and employers.

Keywords

hostile work environment equal employment opportunity discrimination harassment Civil Rights Act

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References

Cerros v. Steel Technologies Inc., 398 F.3d. 944 (7th Cir. 2005).

Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. § 2000e-2(a) (1967) (P.L. 88-352).

El-Hakem v. BJY Inc., 415 F.3d 1068 (9th Cir. 2005).

Galdamez v. Potter, 415 F.3d. 1015 (9th Cir. 2005).

Harris v. Forklift Systems, Inc. 510 U.S. 17 (1993).

Hrobowski v. Worthington Steel Co., 358 F.3d 473 (7th Cir. 2004).

Johnson and Goodwin v. United Parcel Service, Inc., 117 Fed. Appx. 444 (6th Cir. 2004).

Lawrence v. F. C. Kerbeck & Sons, Civ. No. 05-1242, 134 Fed. Appx. 570 (June 15, 2005).

Meritor Savings Bank v. Vinson, 477 U.S. 57 (1986).

10.

National Railroad Passenger Corporation v. Morgan, 536 U.S. 101 (2002).

11.

Selden, S.C. (2003). Sexual harassment in the workplace. In S. W. Hays & R. C. Kearney (Eds.), Public personnel administration: Problems and prospects (4th ed., pp. 225-237). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

12.

Shields v. Federal Express Corporation, 120 Fed. Appx. 956 (4th Cir. 2005).

13.

Stith v. Perot Systems Corporation, 122 Fed. Appx. 1115 (5th Cir. 2005).

14.

U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). (1994). Notice. Retrieved July 24, 2007 , from http://www.eeoc.gov/policy/docs/harris.html

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U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). (2007). Harassment. Retrieved July 24, 2007, from http://www.eeoc.gov/types/harassment.html

16.

Webster v. Johnson, 126 Fed. Appx. 583 (2005).

Sexual Harassment Isn't Always the Issue

Abstract

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