Reference no: EM132292568

Application Case An Accusation of Sexual Harassment in Pro Sports The jury in a sexual harassment suit brought by a former high-ranking New York Knicks basketball team executive awarded her more than $11 million in punitive damages. Officials of Madison Square Garden (which owns the Knicks) said they would appeal the verdict. However, even if they were to win on appeal (which one University of Richmond Law School professor said was unlikely), the case still exposed the organization and its managers to a great deal of unfavorable publicity. The federal suit pitted Anucha Browne Sanders, the Knicks’ senior vice president of marketing and business operations (and former Northwestern University basketball star), against the team’s owner, Madison Square Garden, and its president, Isiah Thomas. The suit charged them with sex discrimination and retaliation. Ms. Browne Sanders accused Mr. Thomas of verbally abusing and sexually harassing her over a 2-year period. She said the Garden fired her about a month after she complained to top management about the harassment. At the trial, the Garden cited numerous explanations for the dismissal, saying she had “failed to fulfill professional responsibilities.” At a news conference, Browne Sanders said that Thomas “refused to stop his demeaning and repulsive behavior and the Garden refused to intercede.” Mr. Thomas vigorously insisted he was innocent. According to one report of the trial, her claims of harassment and verbal abuse had little corroboration from witnesses, but neither did the Garden’s claims that her performance had been subpar. After the jury decision came in, Browne Sanders’s lawyers said, “This [decision] confirms what we’ve been saying all along, that [Browne Sanders] was sexually abused and fired for complaining about it.” The Garden’s statement said, in part, “We look forward to presenting our arguments to an appeals court and believe they will agree that no sexual harassment took place.”

Questions

1. Do you think Ms. Browne Sanders had the basis for a sexual harassment suit? Why?

2. From what you know of this case, do you think the jury arrived at the correct decision? If not, why not? If so, why?

3. Based on the few facts that you have, what steps could Garden management have taken to protect itself from liability in this matter?

4. Aside from the appeal, what would you do now if you were the Garden’s top management?

5. “The allegations against Madison Square Garden in this case raise ethical questions with regard to the employer’s actions.” Explain whether you agree or disagree with this statement, and why.