CITATION CODES. NOTICE: . Oncale appealed, and the Supreme Court reversed the decision. ONCALE v. SUNDOWNER OFFSHORE SERVICES, INC., et al. 1997. what happened. Our holding that this includes sexual harassment must extend to sexual harassment of any kind that meets the statutory requirements. But statutory prohibitions often go beyond the principal evil to cover reasonably comparable evils, and it is ultimately the provisions of our laws rather than the principal concerns of our legislators by which we are governed. . On several occasions, Oncale was forcibly subjected to sex related, humiliating actions against him by Lyons, Pippen and Johnson in the presence of the rest of the crew. sex. See id., at 624-625. Oncale eventually quit -- asking that his pink slip reflect that he "voluntarily left due to sexual harassment and verbal abuse." . The District Court having granted summary judgment for respondent, we must assume the facts to be as alleged by petitioner Joseph Oncale. , at 515-516 n. 6 (Powell, J., joined by Burger, C. J., and REHNQUIST , J., dissenting). We granted certiorari. 1998Petitioner: Joseph OncaleRespondent: Sundowner Onshore Services Incorporated, John Lyons, Danny Pippen, and Brandon JohnsonPetitioner's Claim: That on-the-job sexual harassment by coworkers of the same sex is still sexual discrimination.Chief Lawyers for Petitioner: Nicholas Canaday IIIChief Lawyers for Respondent: Harry … Lyons, the crane operator, and Pippen, the driller, had supervisory authority, App. Oncale v. Sundowner Offshore Services is an important case in the development of employee protections from sexual harassment, same-sex discrimination, sexual orientation discrimination, and sexual identity discrimination. I made the following changes: Oncale was part of an eight-man crew working on a Chevron USA oil platform in the Gulf of Mexico. On several occasions, Oncale was forcibly subjected to sex-related, humiliating actions against him by his coworkers in the presence of the rest of the crew. "Because of the many facets of human motivation, it would be unwise to presume as a matter of law that human beings of one definable group will not discriminate against other members of that group." Other decisions say that such claims are actionable only if the plaintiff can prove that the harasser is homosexual (and thus presumably motivated by sexual desire). Thomas, J., filed a concurring opinion, post, p. 82. In a case with a particularly egregious set of facts, the petitioner, Joseph Oncale, was part of an eight-man crew on an oil platform in the Gulf of Mexico. Harry M. Reasoner Argued the cause for the respondents Facts of the case Joseph Oncale, a male, filed a complaint against his employer, Sundowner Offshore Services, Inc., alleging that he was sexually … 96-568. . I concur because the Court stresses that in every sexual harassment case, the plaintiff must plead and ultimately prove Title VII's statutory requirement that there be discrimination "because of . Microsoft Edge. Relying on the Fifth Circuit's decision in Garcia v. U.S. 669, 682 ", And there is another requirement that prevents Title VII from expanding into a general civility code: As we emphasized in Meritor and Harris , the statute does not reach genuine but innocuous differences in the ways men and women routinely interact with members of the same sex and of the opposite sex. Learn more about FindLaw’s newsletters, including our terms of use and privacy policy. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 provides, in relevant part, that "[i]t shall be an unlawful employment practice for an employer . Oncale v.Sundowner Offshore Services, Inc.Linda Ray Webster University Abstract Oncale v.Sundowner Offshore Services is a sexual discrimination case in which the Fifth Circuit court ruled in the case of the defendant Sundowner Offshore Services that same sex discrimination was not pursuable under Title VII. You can try any plan risk-free for 7 days. The Court held that Title VII's protection against workplace discrimination "because of... sex" applied to harassment in the workplace between members of the same sex. Oncale v. Sundown Offshore. Relying on the Fifth Circuit's decision in Garcia v. at 79. . 510 App. sex" protects men as well as women, Newport News Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Co. v. EEOC , The precise details are irrelevant to the legal point we must decide, and in the interest of both brevity and dignity we shall describe them only generally. 430 Elf Atochem North America that Title VII does not apply to male-on-male sexual harassment in the workplace (“Findlaw: Oncale v. Sundowner Offshore Services”). . In late October 1991, Oncale was working for respondent Sundowner Offshore Services on a Chevron U. S. A., Inc., oil platform in the Gulf of Mexico. sex" in the "terms" or "conditions" of employment. Petitioner Oncale filed a complaint against his employer, respondent Sundowner Offshore Services, Inc., claiming that sexual harassment directed against him by respondent co-workers in their workplace constituted "discriminat [ion]... because of... sex" prohibited by Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U. S. C. § 2000e-2 (a) (1). Oncale filed a complaint against Sundowner in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, alleging that he was discriminated against in his employment because of his sex. Facts of the case Joseph Oncale, a male, filed a complaint against his employer, Sundowner Offshore Services, Inc., alleging that he was sexually harassed by co-workers, in their workplace, in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (“Title VII”). Oncale v. Sundowner Offshore Services, 523 U.S. 75 (1998), was a decision of the Supreme Court of the United States. Oncale v. Sundowner Offshore Services set the precedent for analyzing same-sex harassment, and sexual harassment without motivation of "sexual desire", stating that any discrimination based on sex is actionable so long at it places the victim in an objectively disadvantageous working condition, regardless of the gender of either the victim, or the harasser. In August of 1991 twenty-one-year-old Joseph Oncale was hired by Sundowner Offshore Services in Houma, Louisiana to be a roustabout. He was employed as a roustabout on an eight-man crew. 41, 77, 43. "Oncale v. Sundowner Offshore Services: A Victory for Gay and Lesbian Rights?" JOSEPH ONCALE v. SUNDOWNER OFFSHORE SERVICES, INCORPORATED, et al.(1998). Oncale filed a complaint against Sundowner in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, alleging that he was discriminated against in his employment because of his sex. Courts and juries have found the inference of discrimination easy to draw in most male-female sexual harassment situations, because the challenged conduct typically involves explicit or implicit proposals of sexual activity; it is reasonable to assume those proposals would not have been made to someone of the same sex. Oncale filed a complaint against Sundowner in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, alleging that he was discriminated against in his employment because of his sex. 255, as amended, 42 U.S.C. Readers are requested to notify the Reporter of Decisions, Supreme Court of the United States, Washington, D. C. 20543, of any typographical or other formal errors, in order that corrections may be made before the preliminary print goes to press. Title VII prohibits "discriminat[ion] . . . "When the workplace is permeated with discriminatory intimidation, ridicule, and insult that is sufficiently severe or pervasive to alter the conditions of the victim's employment and create an abusive working environment, Title VII is violated." The legal case of Oncale v. Sundowner Offshore Services, Inc. is a sex discrimination case under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. . 520 U. S. ___ (1997). (1993) (citations and internal quotation marks omitted). In late October 1991, Oncale was working for Sundowner Offshore Services on a Chevron USA Inc. oil platform in the Gulf of Mexico. With him on briefs were Andre P. … 998 1998 WL 88039. 1452 (ND Ill. 1988). The email address cannot be subscribed. . Oncale v. Sundowner Offshore Services, 523 U.S. 75 (1998), was a decision of the Supreme Court of the United States. Oncale v. Sundowner Offshore Services, 523 U.S. 75 (1998), was a decision of the Supreme Court of the United States.The case arose out of a suit for sex discrimination by a male oil-rig worker, who claimed that he was repeatedly subjected to sexual harassment by his male co-workers with the acquiescence of his employer. 477 DOCKET NO. Case Study: Oncale v. Sundowner 2 In the case of Oncale v. Sundowner Offshore Services, Inc., Joseph Oncale was the victim of repeated harassment, sexual, physical and mental, from at least three members of the work crew, of which two had a supervisory position over him. In particular, courts have struggled with how to deal with harassment that appears to be based on actual or perceived sexual orientation, because employment discrimination based on sexual orientation is not forbidden by U.S. federal law. because of . Reasoning. A same-sex harassment plaintiff may also, of course, offer direct comparative evidence about how the alleged harasser treated members of both sexes in a mixed-sex workplace. sex." Joseph Oncale was employed by Sundowner on an offshore rig from August to November 1991. Title VII's prohibition of discrimination "because of . 106. because of . 480 U.S. 616 430 U.S. 57, 64 The case arose out of a suit for sex discrimination by a male oil-rig worker, who claimed that he was repeatedly subjected to sexual harassment … But that risk is no greater for same-sex than for oppositesex harassment, and is adequately met by careful attention to the requirements of the statute. The application of the Oncale case has caused some difficulty in the lower federal courts, which have struggled with how to determine whether any particular case of same-sex harassment is "because of sex." Google Chrome, On appeal, a panel of the Fifth Circuit concluded that Garcia was binding Circuit precedent, and affirmed. Created by. Oncale v. Sundowner Offshore Services, 523 U.S. 75 (1998), was a decision of the Supreme Court of the United States. Oncale's complaints to supervisory personnel produced no remedial action; in fact, the company's Safety Compliance Clerk, Valent Hohen, told Oncale that Lyons and Pippen "picked [on] him all the time too," and called him a name suggesting homosexuality. Smallets, Sonya. However, the district court decided the case against Oncale on the reason that in the case of Garcia v. Elf Atochem North America, male victims of sexual harassment has no cause of action under Title VII for discrimination because of gender (“Findlaw: Oncale v. Sundowner Offshore Services”). This case presents the question whether workplace harassment can violate Title VII's prohibition against "discriminat[ion] . Relying on earlier precedents, the district court held that "Mr. Oncale, a male, has no cause of action under Title VII for harassment by male co-workers." Oncale eventually quit-asking that his pink slip reflect that he "voluntarily left due to sexual harassment and verbal abuse." "Oncale v. Sundowner Offshore Services: A Victory for Gay and Lesbian Rights?" ATTORNEY(S) Nicholas Canaday III argued the cause for petitioner. Sundowner Offshore Services, Inc. . Ware, Dabney D. and Bradley R. Johnson. PLAY. We recommend using "Conduct that is not severe or pervasive enough to create an objectively hostile or abusive work environment-an environment that a reasonable person would find hostile or abusive-is beyond Title VII's purview." . . Argued December 3, 1997. (“Title VII”). The Fifth Circuit affirmed. . 78 Stat. Please take a moment to review my edit. See also id. Title VII's prohibition of discrimination "because of . . . The prohibition of harassment on the basis of sex requires neither asexuality nor androgyny in the workplace; it forbids only behavior so objectively offensive as to alter the "conditions" of the victim's employment. Because we conclude that sex discrimination consisting of same-sex sexual harassment is actionable under Title VII, the judgment of the Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit is reversed, and the case is remanded for further proceedings consistent with this opinion. U.S. 482, 499 Oncale v. Sundowner Offshore Services, 523 U.S. 75 (1998), was a landmark decision of the US Supreme Court.The case arose out of a suit for sex discrimination by a male oil-rig worker, who claimed that he was repeatedly subjected to sexual harassment by his male co-workers with the acquiescence of his employer. U.S. 17, 21 No. Spell. Common sense, and an appropriate sensitivity to social context, will enable courts and juries to distinguish between simple teasing or roughhousing among members of the same sex, and conduct which a reasonable person in the plaintiff's position would find severely hostile or abusive. When asked at his deposition why he left Sundowner, Oncale state, "I felt that if I didn't leave my job, that I would be raped or forced to have sex." Learn. I need help identifying the below for Oncale v. Sundowner Offshore Services, Inc., 523 U.S. 75 (1998) Facts Issue. Harris , STUDY. (1986) (citations and internal quotation marks omitted). The real social impact of workplace behavior often depends on a constellation of surrounding circumstances, expectations, and relation ships which are not fully captured by a simple recitation of the words used or the physical acts performed. Relying on the Fifth Circuit's decision in Garcia v. Elf Atochem North America , 28 F. 3d 446, 451-452 (CA5 1994), the district court held that "Mr. Oncale, a male, has no cause of action under Title VII for harassment by male co-workers." Oncale v. Sundowner Offshore Services delivered a surprising victory for LGBTQ rights, especially in regards to workplace equality. Harris v. Forklift Systems, Inc. , . Title VII does not prohibit all verbal or physical harassment in the workplace; it is directed only at " discriminat[ion] . We have always regarded that requirement as crucial, and as sufficient to ensure that courts and juries do not mistake ordinary socializing in the workplace-such as male-on-male horseplay or intersexual flirtation-for discriminatory "conditions of employment.". sex," 42 U.S.C. . Compare McWilliams v. Fairfax County Board of Supervisors , 72 F. 3d 1191 (CA4 1996), with Wrightson v. Pizza Hut of America , 99 F. 3d 138 (CA4 1996). Held: Under Title VII, an employer cannot take an adverse employment action “because of sex.” Holding . . But harassing conduct need not be motivated by sexual desire to support an inference of discrimination on the basis of sex. Pp. . Gravity. because of . Test. Appellant Joseph Oncale filed this suit against Sundowner Offshore Services, Inc., (“Sundowner”), John Lyons, Danny Pippen and Brandon Johnson, alleging that he had been sexually harassed during his employment in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. In Oncale v. Sundowner Offshore Services, Inc., the U.S. Supreme Court decided that same-sex sexual harassment was actionable as a violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. In late October 1991, Oncale was working for respondent Sundowner Offshore Services on a Chevron U. S. A., Inc., oil platform in the Gulf of Mexico. A professional football player's working environment is not severely or pervasively abusive, for example, if the coach smacks him on the buttocks as he heads onto the field-even if the same behavior would reasonably be experienced as abusive by the coach's secretary (male or female) back at the office. Meritor Savings Bank, FSB v. Vinson , Id., at 77. Oncale alleges both quid pro quo and hostile work environment sexual harassment.1 Oncale quit his job at Sundowner soon after the shower incident. Although we ultimately rejected the claim on other grounds, we did not consider it significant that the supervisor who made that decision was also a man. We’ll hear argument now in Number 96-568, Joseph Oncale v. Sundowner’s Offshore Services, Inc.– Mr. Canaday. . As some courts have observed, male-on-male sexual harassment in the workplace was assuredly not the principal evil Congress was concerned with when it enacted Title VII. . Flashcards. . We have never held that workplace harassment, even harassment between men and women, is automatically discrimination because of sex merely because the words used have sexual content or connotations. . Please try again. 1 Oncale quit his job at Sundowner soon after the shower incident. If our precedents leave any doubt on the question, we hold today that nothing in Title VII necessarily bars a claim of discrimination "because of . (1987), a male employee claimed that his employer discriminated against him because of his sex when it preferred a female employee for promotion. CERTIORARI TO THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT Scalia, J., delivered the opinion for a unanimous Court. sex.". No. § 2000e2(a)(1), when the harasser and the harassed employee are of the same sex. Firefox, or Oncale v. Sundowner Offshore Services is an important case in the development of employee protections from sexual harassment, same-sex discrimination, sexual orientation discrimination, and sexual identity discrimination. § 2000e, et seq. Opinion for Oncale v. Sundowner Offshr — Brought to you by Free Law Project, a non-profit dedicated to creating high quality open legal information. Roustabouts are unskilled laborers working in an oilfield. sex" merely because the plaintiff and the defendant (or the person charged with acting on behalf of the defendant) are of the same sex. Harry M. Reasoner Argued the cause for the respondents Facts of the case Joseph Oncale, a male, filed a complaint against his employer, Sundowner Offshore Services, Inc., alleging that he was sexually harassed by co-workers, in their workplace, in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 ("Title VII… "Oncale v. Sundowner Offshore Services, Inc.: Perverted Behavior Leads to a Perverse Ruling." 3 The district court granted summary judgment on Oncale's Title VII claim, relying upon our statement in Garcia v. We see no justification in the statutory language or our precedents for a categorical rule excluding same-sex harassment claims from the coverage of Title VII. inbal_giron. Instead, the company's Safety Compliance Clerk called him a name suggesting homosexuality. THOMAS , J., filed a concurring opinion. . Id., at 79. 83 F. 3d 118 (1996). U.S. 669, 682 Therefore, petitioner Oncale has a cause of action in filing a suit against Sundowner Offshore Services Incorporated invoking discrimination due to gender based on the provisions in Title VII. 41, 77, 43. [1], Oncale v. Sundowner Offshore Services, Inc., Certiorari to the United States court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, Hostile Advances: The Kerry Ellison Story, List of United States Supreme Court cases, volume 523, Database of important sexual harassment cases and litigation, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, https://lgbt.wikia.org/wiki/Oncale_v._Sundowner_Offshore_Services?oldid=36621. August 30, 2020. oncale v sundowner quimbee. "The critical issue, Title VII's text indicates, is whether members of one sex are exposed to disadvantageous terms or conditions of employment to which members of the other sex are not exposed." In same-sex (as in all) harassment cases, that inquiry requires careful consideration of the social context in which particular behavior occurs and is experienced by its target. The same chain of inference would be available to a plaintiff alleging samesex harassment, if there were credible evidence that the harasser was homosexual. Write. 462 Oncale filed a complaint against Sundowner in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, alleging that he was discriminated against in his employment because of his sex. Berkeley Women's Law Journal (1999): 136-148. (1977). The US Supreme Court reversed that decision by stating that any discrimination based … We have emphasized, moreover, that the objective severity of harassment should be judged from the perspective of a reasonable person in the plaintiff's position, considering "all the circumstances." "Oncale v. Sundowner Offshore Services, Inc.: Perverted Behavior Leads to a Perverse Ruling." Joseph Oncale, a male, filed a complaint against his employer, Sundowner Offshore Services, Inc., alleging that he was sexually harassed by co-workers, in their workplace, in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 ("Title VII"). Sex discrimination consisting of same-sex sexual harassment is actionable under Title VII. sex" merely because the plaintiff and the defendant (or the person charged with acting on behalf of the defendant) are of the same sex. United States Supreme Court. ONCALE v. SUNDOWNER OFFSHORE SERVICES, INC ET AL. 2-7. Because it set a precedent regarding harassment "because of sex," Oncale v. Sundowner has been lauded as a landmark "gay rights" case, even though all those involved were heterosexual. Oncale eventually quit -- asking that his pink slip reflect that he "voluntarily left due to sexual harassment and verbal abuse.". at 71. This opinion is subject to formal revision before publication in the preliminary print of the United States Reports. Harris, supra , at 25 (GINSBURG , J., concurring). Ware, Dabney D. and Bradley R. Johnson. With … because of . 510 U.S., at 21 Respondents and their amici contend that recognizing liability for same-sex harassment will transform Title VII into a general civility code for the American workplace. Begin typing to search, use arrow keys to navigate, use enter to select. In late October 1991, Oncale was working for respondent Sundowner Offshore Services on a Chevron U. S. A., Inc., oil platform in the Gulf of Mexico. Relying on Fifth Circuit precedent, the District Court held that Oncale, a male, had no Title VII cause of action for harassment by male coworkers. Oncale v. Sundowner Offshore Services, Inc., et al, 118 S.Ct. , Still others suggest that workplace harassment that is sexual in content is always actionable, regardless of the harasser's sex, sexual orientation, or motivations. Oncale filed a complaint against Sundowner in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, alleging that he was discriminated against in his employment because of his sex. Pippen and Lyons also physically assulted Oncale in a sexual manner, and Lyons threatened him with rape. (1983), and in the related context of racial discrimination in the workplace we have rejected any conclusive presumption that an employer will not discriminate against members of his own race. , citing Meritor , 477 U. S. at 67. Oncale's complaints to supervisory personnel produced no remedial action. He was employed as a roustabout on an eight-man crew which included respondents John Lyons, Danny Pippen, and Brandon Johnson. / oncale v sundowner quimbee. A trier of fact might reasonably find such discrimination, for example, if a female victim is harassed in such sex-specific and derogatory terms by another woman as to make it clear that the harasser is motivated by general hostility to the presence of women in the workplace. All rights reserved. . 998 (March 4, 1998). , and in the related context of racial discrimination in the workplace this Court has rejected any conclusive presumption that an employer will not discriminate against members of his own race, Castaneda v. Partida , JUSTICE SCALIA delivered the opinion of the Court. Terms in this set (7) year. Id. I have just modified one external link on Oncale v. Sundowner Offshore Services, Inc.. When asked at his deposition why he left Sundowner, Oncale stated "I felt that if I didn't leave my job, that I would be raped or forced to have sex." Id. In this private sector case, the U.S. Supreme Court held that sexual harassment by persons of one sex against persons of the same sex is actionable under Title VII. . Id., at 71. ONCALE v. SUNDOWNER OFFSHORE SERVICES, INC U.S. Supreme Court (4 Mar, 1998) 4 Mar, 1998; Subsequent References; Similar Judgments; ONCALE v. SUNDOWNER OFFSHORE SERVICES, INC. 523 U.S. 75 118 S.Ct. Oncale v. Sundowner Offshore Services set the precedent for analyzing same-sex harassment, and sexual harassment without motivation of "sexual desire", stating that any discrimination based on sex is actionable so long at it places the victim in an objectively disadvantageous working condition, regardless of the gender of either the victim, or the harasser. . Florida Law Review, (July 1999): 489-509. Top Answer. Case Information. Recognizing liability for same-sex harassment will not transform Title VII into a general civility code for the American workplace, since Title VII is directed at discrimination because of sex, not merely conduct tinged with offensive sexual connotations; since the statute does not reach genuine but innocuous differences in the ways men and women routinely interact with members of the same, and the opposite, sex; and since the objective severity of harassment should be judged from the perspective of a reasonable person in the plaintiff's position, considering all the circumstances. § 2000e-2(a)(1). Lyons, the crane operator, and Pippen, the driller, had supervisory authority, App. Whatever evidentiary route the plaintiff chooses to follow, he or she must always prove that the conduct at issue was not merely tinged with offensive sexual connotations, but actually constituted " discrimina[tion] . Nicholas Canaday, III: Mr. Chief Justice, and may it please the Court: Rejecting Joseph Oncale’s title VII claims, the Fifth Circuit stated, same-sex harassment claims are not cognizable under title VII. U.S. 482, 499 Decided March 4, 1998. Stay up-to-date with FindLaw's newsletter for legal professionals. In late October 1991, Oncale was working for respondent Sundowner Offshore Services on a Chevron U.S. A., Inc., oil platform in the Gulf of Mexico. See Doe v. Belleville , 119 F. 3d 563 (CA7 1997). ON WRIT OF CERTIORARI TO THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT. We have held that this not only covers "terms" and "condi tions" in the narrow contractual sense, but "evinces a congressional intent to strike at the entire spectrum of disparate treatment of men and women in employment." The district court granted summary judgment on Oncale's Title VII claim, relying upon our statement in Garcia v. Some, like the Fifth Circuit in this case, have held that same-sex sexual harassment claims are never cognizable under Title VII. Oncale filed this Title VII action against Sundowner, John Lyons, his Sundowner supervisor, and Danny Pippen and Brandon Johnson, two Sundowner co-workers, alleging sexual harassment. *76 Nicholas Canaday III argued the cause for petitioner. Oncale v. Sundowner Offshore Services Incorporated et al. But when the issue arises in the context of a "hostile environment" sexual harassment claim, the state and federal courts have taken a bewildering variety of stances. Copyright © 2020, Thomson Reuters. . Courts have had little trouble with that principle in cases like Johnson , where an employee claims to have been passed over for a job or promotion. Oncale v. Sundowner Offshore Services, 523 U.S. 75 (1998) is a United States Supreme Court case in which the Court held that Title VII's protection against workplace discrimination "because of... sex" applied to harassment in the workplace between members of the same sex. Match. Florida Law Review, (July 1999): 489-509. Castaneda v. Partida , Oncale alleges both quid pro quo and hostile work environment sexual harassment. to discriminate against any individual with respect to his compensation, terms, conditions, or privileges of employment, because of such individual's race, color, religion, sex, or national origin." Berkeley Women's Law Journal (1999): 136-148. The Fifth Circuit affirmed. He was employed as a roustabout on an eight-man crew which included respondents John Lyons, Danny Pippen, and Brandon Johnson. 462 96-568. If you have any questions, or need the bot to ignore the links, or the page altogether, please visit this simple FaQ for additional information. Oncale was also sodomized with a bar of soap, and threatened with rape‏‎. Harris, supra, at 23. He was employed as a roustabout on an eight-man crew which included respondents John Lyons, Danny Pippen, and Brandon Johnson. Applicable Laws. JOSEPH ONCALE, PETITIONER v. SUNDOWNER OFFSHORE SERVICES, INCORPORATED, ET, AL. SCALIA , J., delivered the opinion for a unanimous Court. Written and curated by … Internet Explorer 11 is no longer supported. Oncale v. Sundowner Offshore Services delivered a surprising victory for LGBTQ rights, especially in regards to workplace equality. Get Oncale v. Sundowner Offshore Services, Inc., 523 U.S. 75 (1998), United States Supreme Court, case facts, key issues, and holdings and reasonings online today. sex" protects men as well as women, Newport News Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Co. v. 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