Lara Carlson has brought a lawsuit against her employer, the University of New England, in which she alleges that it retaliated against her after she made a sexual harassment complaint against the chair of her department, the Verge reports.
Carlson, an exercise physiologist, alleged that the chair, Paul Visich, sent her lewd emails and otherwise harassed her and students, which she brought to the attention of human resources and the interim dean of the college, the Verge says. But, it adds that, according to Carlson, the university appeared more concerned about Visich than her. The school eventually offered to transfer Carlson out of the department and to a different campus, a move to which she agreed, but the Verge says that once Carlson was there, she was unable to teach her exercise physiology class or conduct her own research.
According to the Verge, UNE asked for the suit to be dismissed, as Carlson agreed to the transfer. While the district court found that Carlson didn't show evidence of retaliation, the circuit court to which Carlson appealed reversed the judgment, saying that there are "disputes of material fact" as to whether Carlson was misled into transferring.
Carlson tells the Verge that all she wants "is to do my job."