Case details

Supervisor’s sexual obsession created hostile workplace: suit

SUMMARY

$224000

Amount

Verdict-Mixed

Result type

Not present

Ruling
KEYWORDS
emotional distress, mental, psychological
FACTS
Plaintiff Maryl Davis, 37, a female sales associate for St. Jude Medical, a medical supply company, complained to human resources that she was being harassed by William Childress, a longtime St. Jude sales representative who worked in the same territory as her. As a result, she requested that St. Jude transfer her and selected Iowa, as she met her future husband, an Iowa resident, during the time she was being harassed. However, Davis was terminated for not meeting sales quotas in January 2012, one year and four months after being transferred. Davis sued Childress and St. Jude Medical S.C. Inc. Davis alleged that Childress sexually harassed her and created a hostile work environment. She also alleged that St. Jude was liable for the sexual harassment and hostile work environment, as well as wrongfully demoted and terminated her in retaliation for raising her complaints to the human resources department. Davis claimed that Childress, who was a 59-year-old married, senior sales representative, developed an improper romantic and sexual obsession with her. She alleged that Childress repeatedly told her, as his subordinate, that he was in love with her and that he would not give up his pursuit of her until she slept with him. She alleged that when she rejected his advances, Childress responded by attempting to freeze her out of her territory. Davis claimed that after she complained, St. Jude’s H.R. department investigated the claims and found that Childress had violated company policy regarding sexual harassment. However, she claimed that St. Jude did not discipline Childress because he was one of its highest producers. Davis claimed that as a result, she requested a transfer to get away from Childress and was transferred to Iowa, per her request. However, she claimed that the company gave her an unproductive territory and later terminated her by claiming that she was not making her numbers. Both Childress and St. Jude Medical denied all of Davis’ claims and allegations, as well as denied that Childress was Davis’ supervisor. Childress further claimed that the alleged harassment never occurred, and that Davis engaged in bantering with him, as well. St. Jude claimed that it was first made aware of Davis’ complaint in July 2010 and that it subsequently placed her on a paid leave of absence. It alleged that in Davis’ complaint, she requested to be transferred to Iowa because it was a “win-win” for her and the company, as well as requested to be promoted from a sales associate to a sales representative. St. Jude claimed that it agreed, but also offered Davis other transfers in California, since it was unaware of Davis’ romantic personal relationship with her future husband, but that Davis refused those transfers. It claimed that as a result, it paid to transfer Davis to Des Moines and promoted her to a sales representative, as she requested. In addition, St. Jude claimed that it gave Davis a one-year guarantee at $160,000 a year, so that she could develop her sales territory. However, it alleged that when Davis failed to meet the sales quotas, it properly terminated her. Thus, counsel for each defendant argued that Davis’ internal complaint was just a tactic to move to Iowa to be with her future husband., Davis claimed emotional distress from the alleged harassment and retaliation. She also claimed that although she has since found other employment, it was at a lesser rate than what she earned before in Iowa. Thus, Davis sought recovery of damages for her emotional distress and future economic loss.
COURT
Superior Court of Santa Barbara County, Santa Barbara, CA

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