Sometimes, an employer’s weakest link in defending a Title VII sexual harassment lawsuit is its supervisors. A recent case provides a good example.

In Hall v. City of Chicago, a female employee returned from disability leave with a work restriction that prevented her from performing her job as a plumber. Her employer transferred her to the house drain inspectors division. She was the only female house drain inspector, and her supervisor was male. The supervisor assigned her menial work, which included alphabetizing files, watching drainpipe videos and sorting the same papers repeatedly. He also instructed her co-workers from interacting with her. This went on for almost two years. When she complained, the employer’s investigation resulted in a transfer and a written reprimand of the supervisor.

The district court granted summary judgment to the employer because the conduct was not sufficiently pervasive and it was not motivated by sex or gender.

Read full article here.