1. VANCE V. BALL STATE
UNIVERSITY (2013)
Samuel E. Dunham
Valdosta State University
2. Overview
• Early Case Background
• Supreme Court Ruling
• Legal Implications
• Ethical Implications
• Social Implications
• Conclusion
3. Case Background
• Maetta Vance & Ball State
• Racial Remark
• Series of Following Incidents
• Vance Sued in Federal District Court
• Work Environment Allegedly Became Worse
• Summary Judgment
• Found In Favor of Ball State
• Vance Appealed Through U.S. Court of Appeals
• Found in Favor of Ball State
4. Supreme Court
• The Meaning of the Term “Supervisor”
• Narrowest and Most Workable Definition
• Faragher v. City of Boca Raton (1998)
• The power to:
• Hire
• Fire
• Fail to promote
• Reassign to a task with significantly different duties
• Cause a significant change in benefits available to the victim
• The Dissent
• Lead by Justice Ginsburg
• Decision Ignores Modern Workforce
• EEOC Definition More Appropriate
5. Court Summary
• Ball State =
BALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLIIIIIIIINN
NNNNNNNNN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
BALL STATE 3 DECISIONS FOR
VANCE 0 DECISIONS FOR
6. Legal Implications
• Clarifies The Role of Supervisor
• Does Not Account for Modern Workplace
• Harder for Impacted Employees to Receive Fair
Compensation
• Protection for Organizations
7. Ethical Implications
• Limits the Amount of Responsibility Organizations Must
Have for Employees
• Removes Some Consequences of Unwise Selection
Decisions
8. Social Implications
• Tilts Power Towards Organizations Over Employees
• Organization Valued More Than Employees
• Authority ≠ Power
• Complex Relationships are Possible
9. What It All Means…
• Major Implications For The Future Workplace
• Legal
• Ethical
• Social
• Tips For Organizations
• QUESTIONS???
