Home -> Law Blog Directory -> Federal Judiciary Blogs -> Second Opinions

Federal Judiciary

: Second Opinions

Another certified question. The Second Circuit, in Zakrzewska v. New School, certified the following question to the New York State Court of Appeals:

Does the affirmative defense to employer liability articulated in Faragher v. City of Boca Raton and Burlington Industries v. Ellerth apply to sexual harassment and retaliation claims under section 8-107 of the New York City Administrative Code.

The Supreme Court in those cases provided that an employer would not be liable under Title VII for sexual harassment by a supervisor if the employer can prove that (1) no tangible employment action, such as discharge, demotion or undesireable reassignmentwas taken as part of the alleged harassment, (2) the employer exercised reasonable care to prevent and correct promptly any sexually harassing behavior and (3) the plaintiff employee unreasonably failed to take advantage of any preventive or corrective opportunities provided by the employer or to avoid harm otherwise.

The decision can be found here. When the Court of Appeals acts, it will be reported.

Full post as published by Second Opinions on July 27, 2009 (boomark / email).