Title VII Anti-Retaliation Protection Extended

January 12, 2011 by Beeson Tayer & Bodine

The U.S. Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, has ruled that the reach of Title VII’s anti-retaliation provision extends beyond the employee who actually files a discrimination charge. In Thompson v. North American Stainless, LP (1/24/11) the employer fired an employee whose fiancé, also an employee of the employer, had filed an EEOC sex discrimination charge against the employer. The lower courts ruled the terminated employee was not protected by Title VII since he had neither filed nor directly cooperated with the investigation of a discrimination complaint. But the Supreme Court reversed, concluding the antiretaliation protected extended to the terminated employee because the employer’s conduct would naturally discourage the fiancé from pursuing her Title VII claim.

The material on this website is provided by Beeson, Tayer & Bodine for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Readers should consult with their own legal counsel before acting on any of the information presented. Some of the articles are updated periodically, and are marked with the date of the last update. Again, readers should consult with their own legal counsel for the most current information and to obtain professional advice before acting on any of the information presented.