Sufficiency of Evidence – Hostile Work Environment

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7^th Circuit Court of Appeals

Case Name: Warren Johnson, et al. v. Advocate Health and Hospitals Corporation

Case No.: 16-3848

Officials: MANION, ROVNER, and HAMILTON, Circuit Judges

Focus: Sufficiency of Evidence – Hostile Work Environment

Employees of Advocate Health and Hospitals Corporation (Advocate) claim that they were treated unfairly based on their race. The district court granted Advocate’s motion for summary judgment, finding that the plaintiffs failed to offer evidence necessary to support an element of their claim. We agree with the district court on all issues but the question of the hostile work environment, and remand to the district court for a determination of that claim.

In sum, we reverse the district court’s grant of summary judgment on the hostile work environment claim in regards to the racially derogatory language, and remand to the district court for a determination on the merits of that claim. The decision of the district court is affirmed in all other respects.

Reversed and Remanded in part. Affirmed in part.

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Attorney Derek A. Hawkins is the managing partner at Hawkins Law Offices LLC, where he heads up the firm’s startup law practice. He specializes in business formation, corporate governance, intellectual property protection, private equity and venture capital funding and mergers & acquisitions. Check out the website at www.hawkins-lawoffices.com or contact them at 262-737-8825.