Jill Chasson Examines Employer Liability for Nonemployee Harassment in HR Laws

A recent sexual harassment lawsuit against an Arizona senior living operator reinforces a key lesson for residential care, hospitality, and other client service employers: they can face potentially significant liability for harassment committed by nonemployees. In her latest HR Laws article, Partner Jill Chasson broke down the resulting consent decree and its implications for workplace policies and complaint handlings. Jill analyzed the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) case against Christian Care Management Inc., which allegedly failed to investigate multiple complaints about a male resident’s sexually explicit comments and vulgar behavior toward female employees. The case resulted in a $250,000 settlement, mandated policy changes and training, and ongoing EEOC oversight. Jill emphasized that employers may be liable for nonemployee harassment if they know or should know about the...