Burlington Industries v. Ellerth

Burlington Industries v. Ellerth (1998) is a landmark Supreme Court case that clarified employer liability in sexual harassment cases. It established that an employer can be held responsible for a supervisor’s sexual harassment if it created a hostile work environment or if the supervisor’s actions resulted in a tangible employment action, like firing or promotion. However, if no tangible harm occurs and the employee didn’t tolerate the harassment, the employer might have a defense. This case helped define the standards for workplace harassment claims under federal law, emphasizing employer responsibility to prevent and address such misconduct.