Vance v. Ball State University, a case currently pending before the U.S. Supreme Court, may create more barriers for victims of workplace harassment to prove their cases in federal court.
Take “Monica” for instance. Like many workers, when Monica started working as a line cook for her employer, a fast food restaurant chain, she was not given an orientation about the company’s hierarchy. Human resources never told her which supervisor(s) had the “authority” to hire, fire, demote, promote, transfer or discipline her. In fact, the only supervisor whom Monica ever knew was her immediate supervisor, “Diego,” the head cook at the restaurant location where she worked.
