In: Operations Management
On Franco’s first day of work as an entry-level account manager at an advertising firm, he had lunch with three women who also were entry-level account managers at the firm. During lunch, the three women made comments to Franco that they appreciated how “fit” he was and that they were glad to have a male colleague who was “easy on the eyes” and “probably great in the sack.” Franco is very conservative about sexuality and these comments made him feel very uncomfortable. Franco quit his new job immediately after lunch and filed a sexual harassment suit against the advertising firm claiming that he experienced a hostile work environment.
Using the legal rule for determining whether a hostile work environment exists, identify two reasons why Franco is unlikely to win his lawsuit.
answer-
No, I think a hostile work environment did not exist at the company because A hostile work environment is created by a boss or coworker whose actions, communication or behavior make doing your job impossible.
In this case, We see that Franco and other three showed general appreciation comments to Franco during Lunch. They were not teasing, commenting on his gender and not affectin his performance for his new job.
When harassment makes the workplace intolerable because constant sexual or gender-based activity or comment interferes with an employee's ability to do his or her job, hostile work environment sexual harassment has occurred. This was first time interaction as Franco and those three women were new to the company. the comment session was not pervasive and does not last long.
The first reason that Franco is unlikely to win first The comment and appreciation and use of words did not show any offensive nature. If Franco feel that offensive then he should have stopped them and tell them not to do anymore. if those women do that after refusal of Franco then it would be hostile work environment but it did not happend again.
second, Franco did not tell this to HR of the company so that HR company would take corrective measures. The comments of Three women did not cause any issue in his job performance because he instantly quit the job without proper notification to HR and investigation.