Taylor v. Solis

Ruby Taylor, an African-American woman, sued her employer, the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, claiming her supervisors sexually harassed her to the point of creating a hostile work environment and, when she complained, retaliated against her. The district court granted summary judgment to the Corporation because it concluded, as a matter of law, (1) the employer had an affirmative defense to Taylors claim of sexual harassment and, (2) with regard to retaliation, Taylor (a) had not offered a prima facie showing that her protected activity caused most of the alleged acts of retaliation, (b) had failed to show one such act was a materially adverse action, and (c) had failed to rebut the Corporations nondiscriminatory explanation of another. We affirm, holding as a matter of law that the PBGC has an affirmative defense to the claim of sexual harassment and that Taylor has failed to meet her burden regarding the claim of retaliation.