North American Bancard, CEO Face Trial in COO’s Harassment Suit

North American Bancard can’t avoid trial on claims by its female former COO that CEO Marc Gardner created a sexually hostile work environment and that she was retaliated against for complaining to him and the media, the Eastern District of Michigan ruled.

A jury could find the five incidents of “lascivious” behavior identified by Teresa Harwood were linked to the general anti-female animus she says she faced throughout her 2012–2018 tenure as chief operating officer, the court said. That makes her sexual harassment claim against the company timely under federal law even though the five incidents all occurred outside the ...