Texas Supreme Court Decides in Favor of Employers on Issue of First Impression
July 1, 2010In Waffle House v. Williams, the Texas Supreme Court was presented with an issue of first impression relating to the exclusivity provision of the Texas Commission on Human Rights Act (TCHRA). In Waffle House, the employee prevailed at trial on her claims of sexual harassment and negligent supervision and retention. The trial court entered judgment on the negligence claims under an election of remedies because the employee was able to avoid the TCHRA’s statutory cap on damages.
After the Court of Appeals affirmed that judgment, the Texas Supreme Court granted petition to consider several issues, including an issue of first impression: “may a plaintiff recover negligence damages for harassment covered by the TCHRA?” In its June 11, 2010 opinion, the Texas Supreme Court recognized that the TCHRA is preemptive in nature, and as such, the Court held that the plaintiff could not recover on her negligence claims when the complained-of negligence is intertwined with the complained-of harassment. In its opinion, the Court stated:
The root of [the employee’s] negligence claim is that Waffle House kept around a known harasser, but this claim does not arise from separate, non-harassment conduct; it is premised on the same conduct that the TCHRA deems unlawful.
As the complained-of acts constitute actionable harassment under the TCHRA, they cannot moonlight as the basis for a negligence claim, a claim that presents far different standards, procedures, elements, defenses, and remedies. It is untenable that the Legislature would craft an elaborate anti-harassment regime so easily circumvented.
The court’s opinion is an obvious victory for employers. The opinion is particularly significant to employers when faced with employment discrimination, harassment or retaliation lawsuits that also assert claims of negligent hiring or negligent retention.