Jordan v. Ohio Civil Rights Commission

877 N.E.2d 693, 173 Ohio App. 3d 87, 2007 Ohio 3830
CourtOhio Court of Appeals
DecidedJuly 30, 2007
DocketNo. CA2006-08-031.
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 877 N.E.2d 693 (Jordan v. Ohio Civil Rights Commission) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Ohio Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Jordan v. Ohio Civil Rights Commission, 877 N.E.2d 693, 173 Ohio App. 3d 87, 2007 Ohio 3830 (Ohio Ct. App. 2007).

Opinion

Walsh, Judge.

{¶ 1} Plaintiff-appellant, John Jordan, D.D.S., appeals the decision of the Fayette County Court of Common Pleas adopting a finding by the Ohio Civil Rights Commission of sexual harassment and constructive discharge. We affirm the decision of the trial court in part and reverse it in part.

{¶ 2} In early 2001, appellant interviewed Teresa Smith for a position as a chair-side dental assistant (“CSDA”). At the interview, Smith informed appellant *91 that she had two years’ experience as a CSDA with a dental practice in Columbus. Appellant offered her the position, and Smith began employment on February 19, 2001. On April 2, 2001, Smith terminated the employment by quitting.

{¶ 3} On April 6, 2001, Smith filed a charge of discrimination with the Ohio Civil Rights Commission, alleging that appellant had committed unlawful sexual discrimination, retaliation, and constructive discharge against her. Following an investigation into the allegations, the commission issued a formal complaint against appellant. Appellant issued a response to the complaint and, thereafter, a hearing was held before an administrative law judge (“ALJ”).

{¶ 4} At the hearing, Smith testified that on her first day, she struggled to adjust to appellant’s fast-paced dental practice. Smith stated that she apologized to appellant for her mistakes, but appellant responded that it was all right and stated, “Eventually you’ll know what I’m thinking * * * but then you’ll probably want to slap me.” According to Smith, appellant continually made sexually oriented comments toward her for the first week of her employment.

{¶ 5} Smith testified that appellant constantly followed her around the office and, on the second day, grabbed her from behind and pulled her against him. Appellant stated to Smith that his wife was going on vacation and suggested that Smith should meet him at a restaurant called The Dock in Chillicothe. Smith also testified that appellant frequently invited her over to his home to show her his horses and described to her in detail the horses’ breeding habits. According to Smith, appellant repeatedly suggested that she “needed a sugar daddy” and that he had several friends who would “drop money” on her if she had sex with them.

{¶ 6} Additionally, Smith testified that appellant talked to her about taking Viagra and said that the “prostitutes in Vegas hated when men took Viagra because it wore them out.” She claimed that appellant stated that “he couldn’t tell anything about [her] body type because he hadn’t seen [her] undressed.” Smith testified that appellant wanted to show her nude photos from the Internet and told patients that she used to work in a strip club.

{¶ 7} Smith claimed that work was very uncomfortable because she did not know how to handle appellant’s comments. As a result, beginning on her second day of employment, Smith kept a contemporaneous journal of the comments and actions that appellant made toward her. On Tuesday of the second week, Smith testified that a patient commented that she was left-handed. Appellant responded to the patient that “left-handed women make better lovers.” Following this incident, Smith confronted appellant for embarrassing her in front of the patient. She informed him that she did not appreciate his sexually oriented comments and asked him to stop making those types of comments.

*92 {¶ 8} According to Smith, within 30 minutes of the confrontation, she noticed a drastic change in appellant’s treatment of her, and the work environment became totally different thereafter. Appellant was no longer encouraging and friendly towards Smith. Instead, she alleged, appellant became demanding, angry, and degrading toward her. Smith claimed that appellant acted as if she could no longer do anything right, constantly criticized her, and changed policies to intentionally throw her off. On April 2, 2001, appellant confronted Smith about making long-distance phone calls to her boyfriend and admonished her for making the calls. Following the confrontation, Smith posted a note on the office bulletin board that stated, “You will never crap on me again. I quit. Loser.” She left the office at lunch time and never returned to work.

{¶ 9} On April 19, 2005, the ALJ issued a report, with findings of fact, conclusions of law, and recommendations. The report found that appellant had committed hostile-environment sexual harassment, had unlawfully retaliated against Smith, and had constructively discharged her from employment. The ALJ recommended that the commission issue a cease-and-desist order against appellant and also require appellant to pay a judgment for front and back pay to Smith.

{¶ 10} Appellant filed timely objections to the ALJ’s report with the commission. Following á review of the record and report of the ALJ, the commission adopted the conclusion of the ALJ. Further, the commission ordered specific damages for “front pay” in the amount of $2,048 and “back pay” in the amount of $43,520 and required appellant to receive sexual-harassment training. Appellant appealed to the Fayette County Court of Common Pleas. The court adopted the order of the commission, finding that it was “supported by reliable, probative and substantial evidence.” Appellant timely appeals to this court, raising three assignments of error

Standard of Review

{¶ 11} For this case, the court of common pleas was required to affirm the commission’s decision if the court found that there was reliable, probative, and substantial evidence in the record to support the decision. R.C. 4112.06(E); Plumbers Steamfitters Commt. v. Ohio Civ. Rights Comm. (1981), 66 Ohio St.2d 192, 20 O.O.3d 200, 421 N.E.2d 128, paragraph two of the syllabus.

{¶ 12} Appellate review of the trial court’s judgment is more limited. This court may reverse a determination of the court of common pleas only on a showing that the court abused its discretion. Ohio Civ. Rights Comm. v. Case W. Res. Univ. (1996), 76 Ohio St.3d 168, 177, 666 N.E.2d 1376. The term “abuse of discretion” means that the trial court’s judgment is “unreasonable, arbitrary or *93 unconscionable.” Blakemore v. Blakemore (1983), 5 Ohio St.3d 217, 219, 5 OBR 481, 450 N.E.2d 1140.

{¶ 13} Assignment of error No. 1:

{¶ 14} “The trial court erred by failing to hold that there is no reliable, probative or substantial evidence which supports the Ohio Civil Rights Commission’s finding of hostile environment sexual harrasment [sic] and that it is not in accordance with the law.”

{¶ 15} In his first assignment of error, appellant appeals the finding of hostile-environment sexual harassment. Specifically, appellant claims that the trial court erred by finding “reliable, probative, and substantial evidence” of hostile-environment sexual harassment. Appellant argues that the record does not support a finding of hostile-environment sexual harassment, because the “severe and pervasive” element was not established.

{¶ 16} R.C.

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Bluebook (online)
877 N.E.2d 693, 173 Ohio App. 3d 87, 2007 Ohio 3830, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/jordan-v-ohio-civil-rights-commission-ohioctapp-2007.