Harassment · Federal · Title VII
Oncale v. Sundowner Offshore Services, Inc.
523 U.S. 75 · Supreme Court of the United States · 1998
A roustabout on an offshore oil platform alleged he was subjected to sex-related humiliating conduct, physical assault, and threats by male coworkers, including members of the supervisory chain. His complaints to a higher supervisor produced no remedial action, and he resigned.
The Court held Title VII covers harassment between members of the same sex; the question is whether the conduct was because of sex, not the sexes of the people involved.
Judgment for the employer, reversed
Reported outcome
Reversed; the claim was allowed to proceed.
Completeness reading
73/100
ignita-completeness-v1 · illustrative
Preview. Not legal advice. Attorney-reviewed: false.
The events, kept in order.
Drawn from the reported decision. Nothing is interpreted at this stage — each entry simply holds when it happened and what happened.
Ongoing
Sex-related conduct by coworkers and supervisors
Humiliating sex-related actions, physical assault, and threats on an eight-man crew.
Protected activity or key conduct
Step
Complaint to a higher supervisor
He reported the conduct up the chain.
Protected activity or key conduct
Gap
No remedial action taken
The complaint did not produce corrective steps.
End
Resignation noting the reason
He quit, and asked that his file reflect that he left due to the harassment and threats.
What the engine reads here
The record's turning point was a complaint that led to nothing. A reported complaint with a documented non-response is often more probative than the underlying incident, because it establishes the employer's own choice.
Pattern and class signal
Individual pattern in a closed worksite. Isolated crews with the same supervisory chain frequently generate multiple parallel records.
Preview. Not legal advice. Attorney-reviewed: false.
Your own record
Every matter here began as small, ordinary entries someone almost didn't keep.