Boehringer VP Fails to Hold Off Arbitration of Sex Bias Claims

Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals LLC successfully forced a former employee’s claims including sex discrimination, a hostile work environment, and retaliation into arbitration, as a federal judge said he failed to plausibly allege sexual harassment that would let his court case advance.

Stephen Smith’s claims didn’t involve unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other sexually explicit conduct, and therefore weren’t protected by the Ending of Forced Arbitration in Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act, Judge Kari A. Dooley said Tuesday for the US District Court for the District of Connecticut.

Smith worked as the vice president for national and regional ...