Category: Title VII

U.S. Supreme Court Limits Employee Rights Under Title VII.

Yesterday, the U.S. Supreme Court issued two opinons limiting an employee’s rights under Title VII. Title VII retaliation claims must be proved according to traditional principles of but-for causation, not the lessened causation test stated in §2000e–2(m). In University Of Texas Southwestern Medical Center v. Nassar, the Court held that in retaliation cases – as […]

Eleventh Circuit Affirms Jury Verdict in Favor of Pregnant Employee and Rejects Expansion of After-Acquired Evidence Doctrine

On April 17, 2012, the Eleventh Circuit issued a published opinion affirming a jury verdict in favor of Lisa Holland, a former Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office employee who was terminated due to her pregnancy. The Court reinstated her full $80,000 back pay award bringing Holland’s total damages awarded by the jury to $90,000.  The Court […]

Eleventh Circuit Holds Prison Liable for the Sexual Harassment of its Female Employees by Male Inmates

On Friday, The Eleventh Circuit upheld a sexual harassment jury verdict against the Florida Department of Corrections. In Beckford v. Fla. Department of Corrections, female employees were subject to rather explicit sexual harassment by prison inmates, including something called “gunning” (I will let you read the opinion for that definition).  The employees repeatedly complained to […]