Week One Discussion
Theresa Waldo v. Consumers Energy Company
HRM 531
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Theresa Waldo v. Consumers Energy Company
Directions:
Use the information you learned about the court case you selected and share an overview the case. Share your observations and insights based on your review of the chapter readings this week, additional research, and classmate contributions.
Include the employment law represented in the court case and based on your research share ideas and recommendations other organizations should consider implementing in their organizations to avoid this type of law suit.
Theresa Waldo v. Consumers Energy Company
The court case was about Waldo, a female worker in a large utility company and she was the only female utility worker there. She appealed ruling for the first trail that she filed Title VII action against her employer.
Many factors created a hostile environment for her including coworkers were calling her names; excluded for safety training, employer did not provide toilet facilities; and supervisor was verbally abusive. She was kicked out of the apprenticeship program, transferred to another department with four dollars less in hourly pay, and had to restart the apprenticeship program again.
District court ruled in first trail that insufficient evidence to prove the harassment was severe. However, with the appeal court, jury found in her favor that under Title VII, which did not have to prove that the harassment unreasonably interfered with work performance.
"Title VII of the Civil Right Act of 1964 is most important federal EEO law and it contains the broadest coverage, prohibitions, and remedies". The law was passed to guarantee that people would be considered for jobs not on the basis of their color of skin, religion, gender or national origin.
Employer should establish anti-discrimination guideline for employees and should discipline the one who violating it. Employer should alert employees that any forms of discrimination are not tolerated. In situation of this case of Waldo, Consumers Energy Company should have disciplined those who called her names which was verbally abusive. The company should also have included her for safety training for equal opportunities. The company should only have considered her job on the basis of the abilities and talents that were necessary to perform the job. The company should have guided employees not to discriminate base on genders and races. the company should have treated everyone equally regardless his or her sexual orientation. Per Kramer Z. (July 2009), discriminating homosexual was considered sexual harassment. The company should also have provided discrimination and sexual harassment training to every employee and supervisor. By giving employee proper guideline and trainings, the company should have prevented unnecessary law suits and legal battles. References:
Kramer, Z. July 2009. Northwestern University Law Review, ISSN 0029-3571, 01/2009, Volume 103, Issue 1, p. 205. Retrieve from http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.apollolibrary.com/docview/233345426?pq-origsite=summon
Cascio 9edBookshelf. Web.12 June 2013 http://online.vitalsource.com/books/9781121903814/page/99
Theresa Waldo v. Consumers Energy Company:
Summary:
In this case, the plaintiff Theresa Waldo formerly employed at Consumers Energy Company alleged that "she was subjected routinely to sexual harassment. Waldo's coworkers displayed sexually explicit materials in the workplace, locked her in a porta-potty, demanded that she "pee like a man" and clean up her male coworkers' tobacco spit, ridiculed her for bringing a purse to work, ostracized and ignored her on job sites and in training sessions, and referred to her using gender specific demeaning language" (U.S. COURTS OF APPEALS, 2013).
Employment Law:
Based on her Title VII hostile-work-environment claim, the jury found in favor of Waldo during a second trial in 2010, and the district court
