DTE Energy Defeats Worker's Suit Over Customer's Harassing Calls

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A former DTE Energy call center representative, Angela Rodriguez, filed a lawsuit against the company claiming she faced sexual harassment from a customer who made creepy and sexually suggestive calls to her and other female employees. However, a Detroit federal judge ruled that Rodriguez lacked sufficient evidence to show the customer's behavior amounted to severe or pervasive sexual harassment.

Why it matters

This case highlights the challenges employees can face when dealing with harassing behavior from customers, and the high legal bar for proving a hostile work environment under sexual harassment laws. The ruling underscores the difficulties workers may have in seeking recourse against abusive customer conduct.

The details

Rodriguez claimed she received three calls from a man dubbed 'Customer X' during her time at DTE Energy, two of which involved the customer breathing heavily and making sexually suggestive comments. Rodriguez believed the man was masturbating during the calls. However, the court found that only two of the calls could be considered sexually harassing, and that Rodriguez did not have enough evidence to prove the behavior was severe or pervasive enough to create a hostile work environment.

• Rodriguez worked as a call center representative for DTE Energy.
• The alleged harassing calls from 'Customer X' occurred during Rodriguez's tenure at the company.