Anucha Browne Sanders Essay

Anucha Browne Sanders, senior vice president of marketing and business operations for the New York Knicks won a suit for more than $11 million dollars in punitive damages against the team’s owner, Madison Square Gardens (which owns the Knicks), and the president Isiah Thomas. Ms. Browne Sanders alleged that over a two year period Mr. Thomas verbally abused her, and when she complained to management, she was fired. However, Mr. Thomas “vigorously insisted” that was innocent. To examine this case in detail, we must first define sexual harassment. Sexual harassment is defined under 29 CFR 1604.11(a) as “Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature constitute sexual harassment

For Madison Square Gardens and the New York Knicks, this is exactly what happened as the organization was ordered to pay $11 million dollars in punitive damages to Ms. Browne Sanders. More importantly however, as the noted by the textbook from one University of Richmond Law Professor “the case still exposed the organization and its managers to a great deal of unfavorable publicity” (Dessler). Consequently the organization could face much greater damages, from loss of sales to the inability to attract top-notch

In particular, hiring an Ombudsman may be a good solution given the industry, people involved, and the nature of business. Most importantly, the organization has too great a safe environment where individuals can come forward to file complaints where warranted. Given that many individuals working at the company are publically known figures, any investigations would need to be handled in a confidential matter. If a problem was discovered, management would need to address the issue in respect any federal, state, or local laws, and in addition give both a clear and swift respond to demonstrate that these actions will not be tolerated no matter who you