Former Ford Employee Sues Company for Racial and Sexual Harassment Claims

A former Ford employee has filed suit against the auto manufacturer, claiming that a coworker harassed her based on her race, among other allegations. Initially, the district court ruled in favor of Ford on a motion for summary judgement.

The Sixth Circuit ordered the district court to reconsider the motion for summary judgement and directed them to determine whether there is a dispute of material fact as to whether Ford knew or should have known about the harassment.

Case background

DeAnna Johnson was hired at Ford’s Dearborn truck plant as a production supervisor in 2018. During her employment, a coworker made sexually explicit comments about her and other female workers in front of her managers and other employees. She was also groped and received photos of his genitals. She reported sexual and racial harassment to her supervisors, in accordance with Ford company policy.

Jones initially sued the manufacturer in January 2019 for sexual harassment, racial harassment, quid quo pro sexual harassment, hostile work environment and sexual battery. Originally, Ford’s motion for summary judgement on the racial harassment claims was granted.

In September 2021, the Sixth Circuit ordered the district court to reconsider the racial harassment and racially hostile work environment claims, since Ford likely knew about the issue. Ford argued that the plaintiff’s report to a supervisor was not sufficient to show she met federal notification requirements, since that supervisor was not “sufficiently senior” in the company hierarchy and was not a human resources representative.

However, there is precedent in the Sixth Circuit to suggest that Jones did indeed meet federal notification requirements. On top of that, Ford’s anti-harassment policy also asks that employees report harassment to their supervisors.

The Sixth Circuit found that there was sufficient evidence of severe or pervasive harassment constituting a hostile work environment. Ford’s motion for summary judgement on quid pro quo sexual harassment and sexual assault and battery was upheld.

If you’ve suffered from a hostile work environment at your job, a seasoned whistleblower attorney at Kardell Law Group can help. Call today to learn more.