Thom is VP of Human Resources at Windows R Us.One of his responsibilities is to hire and fire employees,as necessary,and to make decisions on promotions within the company.The chief of procurement position,a plum assignment,opened up and Thom began the necessary process to fill it.Ralph and Darius,each with more than five years of service with Windows R Us,were the "favorite" internal candidates.In addition,several external candidates seemed well-qualified for the position.In a surprise move,Thom appointed Stella,his secretary and rumored-to-be his girlfriend,to the position.Which of the following may be true in this scenario?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Several courts have wrestled with the issue of whether it is illegal gender discrimination under Title VII if a female who is having a relationship with a supervisor receives a job or promotion over a qualified male who applies for the position. In Womack v. Runyon, 77 FEP Cases 769 (11th Cir. 1998), Paul Womack, having excellent credentials, experience, and training applied for a carrier supervisor position in Waycross, Georgia. He was unanimously selected as the best qualified candidate by a review board, but O. M. Lee, the newly appointed postmaster of Waycross, instead appointed Lee's paramour, Jeanine Bennett. In rejecting Womack's Title VII claim of gender discrimination, the court held that Title VII did not cover claims of favoritism, saying that such decisions may not be fair, but they are not illegal under Title VII. According to an EEOC policy guidance, "Title VII does not prohibit . . . preferential treatment based upon consensual romantic relationships. An isolated instance of favoritism toward a paramour . . . may be unfair, but it does not [amount to] discrimination against women or men in violation of Title VII, since both [genders] are disadvantaged for reasons other than their genders."

Thom Is VP of Human Resources at Windows R Us