Diversity in the Workplace: Meritor Savings Bank vs. Mechelle Vinson 
Running Head: CASE ANALYSIS: MERITOR SAVINGS BANK v. MECHELLE VINSON
Case Analysis: Meritor Savings Bank v. Mechelle Vinson
Sara Cooper
SUNY Cortland
BUS 502 Human Resource Management
Dr. Robert Young
June 20, 2010
Abstract
Diversity in the workplace has continued to grow increasingly over the years with an emergence of organizations focusing on diversity management and inventiveness to not only adapt to internal and external challenges, but to also sustain a competitive advantage and maximize vital human resources. With several federal laws and guidelines that point to fairness and eliminate discrimination, organizational challenges arise in connecting these statutes with internal processes and additional diversity strategies that align with the needs of the business. This paper will introduce the sexual harassment and discrimination case of Meritor Savings Bank v. Vinson, its legal outcomes, the importance and strategies to workplace diversity, and conclude with consideration of these strategies and its linkage to and for company stakeholders.
Introduction
In 1974, Michelle Vinson was hired by Sidney Taylor, the vice president and branch manager of Capital City Federal Savings and Loan Associated in Washington D.C. as a bank teller. Vinson proved to be an excellent worker and advanced via promotions on the basis of merit within four years from bank teller to assistance branch manager. (“Celebrating Women’s History,” 2010). However, at some point during her employment, Vinson took a leave of absence which the bank deemed as excessive and subsequently fired her. Feeling the dismissal was unfair, Vinson sued her employer and sought to receive injunction relief, compensatory and punitive damages (“Celebrating Women’s History,” 2010). She also sued Sidney Taylor claiming she had been sexually harassed by him for four years through coercive tactics, in order to keep her job, though she admits this was not directly verbalized by Taylor.
The
Case Analysis: Meritor Savings Bank v. Mechelle Vinson
Sara Cooper
SUNY Cortland
BUS 502 Human Resource Management
Dr. Robert Young
June 20, 2010
Abstract
Diversity in the workplace has continued to grow increasingly over the years with an emergence of organizations focusing on diversity management and inventiveness to not only adapt to internal and external challenges, but to also sustain a competitive advantage and maximize vital human resources. With several federal laws and guidelines that point to fairness and eliminate discrimination, organizational challenges arise in connecting these statutes with internal processes and additional diversity strategies that align with the needs of the business. This paper will introduce the sexual harassment and discrimination case of Meritor Savings Bank v. Vinson, its legal outcomes, the importance and strategies to workplace diversity, and conclude with consideration of these strategies and its linkage to and for company stakeholders.
Introduction
In 1974, Michelle Vinson was hired by Sidney Taylor, the vice president and branch manager of Capital City Federal Savings and Loan Associated in Washington D.C. as a bank teller. Vinson proved to be an excellent worker and advanced via promotions on the basis of merit within four years from bank teller to assistance branch manager. (“Celebrating Women’s History,” 2010). However, at some point during her employment, Vinson took a leave of absence which the bank deemed as excessive and subsequently fired her. Feeling the dismissal was unfair, Vinson sued her employer and sought to receive injunction relief, compensatory and punitive damages (“Celebrating Women’s History,” 2010). She also sued Sidney Taylor claiming she had been sexually harassed by him for four years through coercive tactics, in order to keep her job, though she admits this was not directly verbalized by Taylor.
The
References: Celebrating Women’s History. (2010). Retrieved June 17, 2010 from http:// www.galeschools.com/womens_history/trials/vinson.htm Cloud, J. (1998). Sex and the law. Retrieved June 17, 2010, from http://www.cnn.com/ ALLPOLITICS/1998/03/16/time/sex.harrass.clinton.html Crozier, O. (2009). Catching the bus: What are the rules in your neighborhood? Retrieved June 17, 2010 from www.dhs.state.mn.us/dhs16_146711.doc Development of sexual harassment law Green, K. A., Lopez, M., Wysocki, A., & Kepner. (2009). Diversity in the workplace: benefits, challenges, and the required managerial tools. Retrieved June 17, 2010 from http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hr022 Henry, O Jackson, S. E., Schuler, R. S., & Werner, S. (2009). Managing human resources. (10 ed.). OH: South-Western Cengage Learning. Kronberg, A., McCartin, Rodriguez, E Meritor Savings Bank vs. Vinson, 477 US 57(1986). Supreme Court drama. (2010). Retrieved June 18, 2010 from, http://www.enotes.com/supreme-court-drama/meritor-savings-bank-v-vinson/print Walsh, J The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (1999). EEOC notice (N-915-050). Retrieved June 18, 2010 from http://www.eeoc.gov/policy/docs/ currentissues.html#FOOTNOTE 19