Philpot v. Best Buy d/b/a Geek Squad City (KY 2013)

Several Best Buy employees alleged that their supervisor, Robert, had sexually harassed them on three separate occasions. During the ensuing investigation, three other employees (the appellants) submitted a letter supporting Robert, stating that they had never seen him engage in improper conduct. While investigating the supervisor, Best Buy discovered allegations from five other employees that those three employees had also behaved in sexual misconduct towards employees while at work. The reports from other employees described incidents such as them kissing while at work, imitating sexual acts, touching and biting breasts, and grabbing genitalia. Best Buy suspended them all pending an investigation and later terminated their employment after concluding the investigation. The employees sued Best Buy for, among other claims; gender discrimination, and sexual harassment in violation of the Kentucky Civil Rights Act. The Bullitt Circuit Court granted summary judgment in favor of Best Buy, and the Kentucky Court of Appeals affirmed, holding that the employees had not sufficiently established the elements of a prima facie case of either gender discrimination or sexual harassment. 

The opinion in this case is unpublished and is for educational purposes only. 

Topics

• Employment discrimination
• Sexual harassment

Geographical location

• North America
• United States
• Kentucky

Keywords

• sexual harassment in the workplace
• retaliation

Year

• 2013

External URL

• Philpot v. Best Buy d/b/a Geek Squad City (KY 2013)

Court

• Kentucky Court of Appeals

Type

• Domestic Case Law

Jurisdiction

• Kentucky