The Sixth Circuit recently issued an opinion concerning Title VII’s anti-retaliation protections: an employee who engaged in protected conduct but also violations of workplace policy cannot use the protected activity to excuse her unrelated workplace misconduct. In Crisp v. Scioto Ambulance District, the court affirmed dismissal in favor of the employer who terminated an emergency medical technician after she displayed pornographic photographs of two co-workers while on duty.
Background
Gertrude Crisp was terminated in 2022 after her employer’s investigation found that she displayed nude photographs of a co-worker and his wife to two other co-workers while on duty. Crisp sued for wrongful termination under Title VII and Ohio law, alleging that Gullett had sexually harassed her in 2018 and that her disparaging comments about him were justified by that prior conduct.
When Crisp had complained in 2018 about Gullett’s sexual comments about her body and unpermitted physical touching, the… Read the complete article here...
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