10.01.2010

Court clears way for sexual harassment suit

A New Jersey appeals court has cleared the way for a business to business sexual harassment suit against United Rentals.

The case, which was initially thrown out by a lower court comes from the female owner of a tyre supplier who claims that one of United’s branch managers withdrew the company’s business after she rejected his advances.

United argued successfully that current sexual harassment laws cover such activity within the workplace and not between a companies. The three judge court of appeals rejected the lower court’s decision and has allowed the case to go ahead.

United Rentals, which doe not deny the facts as presented, say that it is considering its options, including referring the case to New Jersey Supreme Court.