Court Grants Motion for Summary Judgment

BrownWinick attorneys Michael Dee and Megan Moritz recently succeeded on a motion asking the court to dismiss a lawsuit filed against its clients, a small floral business, and the business’s owner. The plaintiff, a former employee, sued in state court, making claims of sexual harassment and constructive discharge in violation of the Iowa Civil Rights Act. The plaintiff claimed a former coworker made her uncomfortable at work over the span of 3-4 months.  (The former coworker’s employment ended shortly after the allegations were brought to light.)  Mike and Megan argued, and the court agreed, that even viewing the plaintiff’s allegations in the most favorable light, no reasonable person would find that the alleged comments actually created a hostile work environment – and the plaintiff also failed to give the company a reasonable opportunity to resolve the problem. The court granted the motion for summary judgment, dismissing all claims prior to trial. Mike co-chairs the firm’s litigation practice group, and Megan is a partner in the firm’s employment law practice group.