Hoyle v. FREIGHTLINER, LLC

PUBLISHED

UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
FOR THE FOURTH CIRCUIT

KIMBERLY HOYLE, 
Plaintiff-Appellant,
and
A. BURTON SHUFORD,
Plaintiff,
v.
 No. 09-2024
FREIGHTLINER, LLC,
Defendant-Appellee.

THE EQUAL EMPLOYMENT
OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION,
Amicus Supporting Appellant.

Appeal from the United States District Court
for the Western District of North Carolina, at Charlotte.
Graham C. Mullen, Senior District Judge.
(3:07-cv-00169-GCM)

Argued: January 26, 2011

Decided: April 1, 2011

Before DUNCAN, DAVIS, and WYNN, Circuit Judges.

Affirmed in part, reversed in part, and remanded by published
opinion. Judge Davis wrote the opinion, in which Judge Dun-
can and Judge Wynn concurred.
2 HOYLE v. FREIGHTLINER
COUNSEL

ARGUED: Geraldine Sumter, FERGUSON, STEIN, CHAM-
BERS, GRESHAM & SUMTER, PA, Charlotte, North Caro-
lina, for Appellant. Eric A. Harrington, U.S. EQUAL
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION, Wash-
ington, D.C., for Amicus Supporting Appellant. Keith
Michael Weddington, PARKER, POE, ADAMS & BERN-
STEIN, LLP, Charlotte, North Carolina, for Appellee. ON
BRIEF: James L. Lee, Deputy General Counsel, Vincent J.
Blackwood, Acting Associate General Counsel, Carolyn L.
Wheeler, Assistant General Counsel, Jennifer S. Goldstein,
U.S. EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY COMMIS-
SION, Washington, D.C., for Amicus Supporting Appellant.

OPINION

DAVIS, Circuit Judge:

Appellant Kimberly Hoyle presents for our review two
orders of the district court: (1) its grant of Appellee Freight-
liner, L.L.C.’s motion to strike from her opposition to Freight-
liner’s motion for summary judgment the declaration of a
belatedly-disclosed witness, and (2) its grant of summary
judgment in favor of Freightliner on Hoyle’s claims of hostile
work environment sex discrimination, disparate treatment sex
discrimination, and retaliation under Title VII of the Civil
Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. § 2000e et seq., and common
law negligent infliction of emotional distress.1 As we explain
within, we conclude that the district court did not abuse its
discretion in striking the disputed declaration. On the other
1
Hoyle also alleged a state law claim for wrongful discharge, but she
has abandoned that claim on appeal. In the district court, after Hoyle and
her husband filed a petition in bankruptcy, her claims in this case devolved
to the bankruptcy estate. The bankruptcy trustee, A. Burton Shuford, was
joined as a plaintiff, but he is not a party to this appeal.
 HOYLE v. FREIGHTLINER 3
hand, we are persuaded that the district court’s disposition of
the hostile work environment claim as a matter of law was
inconsistent with circuit precedent, and we accordingly vacate
the judgment as to the hostile work environment claim and
remand the case for trial. In all other respects, we affirm the
judgment in favor of Appellee.

I.

A.

We set forth the facts in the light most favorable to Hoyle,
the non-movant in the district court.

Hoyle commenced working at Freightliner’s Mt. Holly,
North Carolina truck assembly plant in 1988; at the time of
the events giving rise to this suit, she worked as a tractor
trailer truck assembler. Women make up less than ten percent
of Freightliner’s work force. Throughout her employment at
Freightliner, the company maintained an anti-harassment pol-
icy, which prohibits harassment and retaliation and provides
ways for employees to complain of potential violations.
Freightliner also maintained an internet and technology use
policy that prohibits inappropriate use of Freightliner comput-
ers.

In the spring of 2004, Hoyle became an off-line mechanic.
"Off-line" refers to the five different areas where final work
is done on trucks after they come off the assembly line. In late
May or early June 2005, Hoyle found a tampon tied to a key
ring on a truck in her work area, a discovery she disclosed to
another female employee, her union representative, and a
Freightliner supervisor. In response, Hoyle’s supervisor con-
cluded that he did not know who placed the tampon on the
truck and told Hoyle not to make "a fuss about it" because
"that . . . would just make them act out even more." To
Hoyle’s knowledge, no action was taken by Freightliner in
response to her complaint. Another female employee told
4 HOYLE v. FREIGHTLINER
Hoyle, however, that she overheard a group of male employ-
ees laughing about the tampon incident several days later.

In June 2005, Hoyle noticed photos of scantily-clad women
in G-strings taped to the lid of a company-issued toolbox.
Hoyle reported the photos to her supervisor, Colonel Hopper,
but there is no evidence that Hopper notified human resources
of the potential violation of the company’s anti-harassment
policy. The following day, as Hoyle walked into the plant, a
male co-worker accosted Hoyle and yelled at her that "she
had no business telling anybody or . . . anyone what they can
and can’t put on their toolboxes."

The day after the altercation with her co-worker, Hoyle was
walking near her work station when a co-worker asked her,
"[y]ou’re taping up your pant legs now so we can’t see up
under your pants?" The co-worker was referring to the fact
Hoyle taped the bottom of her workpants so she would not get
fluids on her clothing underneath the workpants. Hoyle con-
tends the remark was in response to her recent complaints
about the inappropriate sexual photos on the company’s tool-
boxes.

In September 2005, a male co-worker brought sexually pro-
vocative calendars to work to share with other employees and
supervisors. The calendars contained photos of women "in
bathing suits, wet, [lying] in the water, their nipples protrud-
ing [from] their bathing suits, their hair wet, in different kinds
of positions." The calendars were placed on a communal table
in the cafeteria so workers could get one if they were inter-
ested. Another calendar was displayed on the company’s main
billboard in a break room.

Hoyle reported the calendars to her "team leader" the same
day. Later in her shift, a co-worker taped the calendar to his
toolbox and told Hoyle that she had no right to tell him what
he could or could not put on his toolbox. Hoyle reported this
incident to Hopper, who asked her what she found offensive
 HOYLE v. FREIGHTLINER 5
about the calendar. Hoyle responded by stating that depictions
of women in sexually suggestive positions in bathing suits are
inappropriate for the workplace. In her meeting with Hopper,
she noticed the same swimsuit calendar displayed in his
office. At the conclusion of the meeting, Hopper told Hoyle
he was "sorry" and removed the calendar.

Hoyle also told Hopper about other photos that male
employees had on the outside and inside of their company
toolboxes. In particular, Hoyle told Hopper that one co-
worker had a "picture of his wife in a G-string kind of like
bent over." Again, Hopper asked Hoyle what was offensive
about the photo. Hoyle explained that the photo was inappro-
priate, and Hopper made the co-worker remove the photo.
After the co-worker was made to remove the photograph, he
approached Hoyle and stated that she had no right to dictate
what employees kept on their toolboxes. Hoyle also informed
human resources about the calendars and the photos that male
employees were keeping in their company-issued toolboxes.
A human resources employee informed Hoyle that human
resources would "check into" the issue. However, no employ-
ees were counseled or disciplined for violating Freightliner’s
anti-harassment policy.

In November 2005, when Hoyle logged into a company
computer as part of her work duties, a nude picture of a
woman appeared as the computer’s screen saver. Hoyle
informed her direct supervisor, Bobby Henderson, who con-
veyed the information to his supervisor, Hopper. Hoyle also
informed human resources directly. Again, a human resources
employee stated human resources would "check into" the inci-
dent. Shortly after the November 2005 computer incident,
Freightliner reassigned Hoyle to work as a "5-S" person,
whose duties consisted largely of janitorial tasks. Usually,
assignment to this position was voluntary; Hoyle was the first
employee assigned to the position involuntarily.
6 HOYLE v. FREIGHTLINER
It is undisputed that Hoyle had significant problems with
absenteeism. In that connection, on December 4, 2005, Hoyle
called in sick to Freightliner’s notification system because she
had contracted an upper respiratory infection. She also con-
tacted human resources directly to explain the reason for her
absence. At the time she called in sick, Hoyle had previously
entered into a "last chance agreement" with Freightliner.2 A
"last chance agreement" results when an employee has
reached a point in which she will be terminated if she accrues
any additional chargeable time. The last chance agreement
provided that Hoyle would be terminated if she accrued any
chargeable time between November 11, 2005 and March 23,
2006.

A human resources employee recommended that Hoyle be
terminated because she called in sick after the start of her shift
on December 4, 2005. The human resources manager agreed,
and on or about December 7, 2005, Hoyle received a letter
terminating her employment. Hoyle later attempted to provide
medical documentation for her absence, but Freightliner
refused to accept it. According to a human resources
employee, Freightliner generally tried to be "flexible . . . fair
and reasonable" regarding employee absences and supporting
documentation. Sometime after Freightliner terminated
Hoyle, a former co-worker informed Hoyle that a former
Freightliner employee, Christopher Williams, had sold porno-
graphic DVDs in the workplace. In addition, Williams had
permitted employees, while they were in the workplace, to
preview the DVDs prior to a purchase.
2
Freightliner’s attendance policy classifies absences as "chargeable" or
"non-chargeable." Chargeable absences include tardiness, absenteeism and
time, which are not made up within the same work week. If an employee
accrues more than 50 hours of chargeable time, his or her employment is
subject to termination.
 HOYLE v. FREIGHTLINER 7
B.

Hoyle filed this suit against Freightliner in April 2007,
alleging violations of Title VII and North Carolina law.3
Then, in May 2007, Freightliner reinstated Hoyle with back-
pay. An arbitrator engaged pursuant to the applicable collec-
tive bargaining agreement had determined that Hoyle’s
December 2005 report of her illness and necessary absence
was made prior to the start of her shift, and therefore com-
plied with company policy.4

Meanwhile, discovery proceeded in this case. On Septem-
ber 22, 2008, Hoyle responded to Freightliner’s first set of
interrogatories. In one of her answers, Hoyle stated that she
did not "recall the specifics of all persons who had inappropri-
ate materials in the workplace, but she does recall that an
employee named . . . Chris Williams openly sold porno-
graphic materials to employees in the workplace." Two of
Freightliner’s interrogatories asked Hoyle specifically to
name "all individuals" having "knowledge of the matters
alleged in the Complaint" and "all individuals . . . [Hoyle]
may call as witnesses, or upon whose sworn statement or tes-
timony [Hoyle] may rely, at any trial or hearing in this
action." Hoyle did not list Williams in her answer to either of
these interrogatories.

On January 15, 2009, Hoyle requested Williams’ personnel
file to investigate allegations of his selling pornographic
materials to Freightliner employees. Freightliner objected to
the production of Williams’ file on the ground that the request
3
Freightliner’s brief brings to our attention that Hoyle had previously
brought claims similar to those she asserts here against her international
union and its local affiliate. See Appellee’s Br. at 2 (citing Hoyle v. United
Auto Workers Local Union 5285, 444 F. Supp. 2d 467 (W.D.N.C. 2006)).
That case was dismissed in August 2006.
4
We were advised at oral argument that Hoyle (and many others, appar-
ently) had been laid off as a result of economic conditions in the industry.
8 HOYLE v. FREIGHTLINER
"seeks documents not likely to lead to the discovery of admis-
sible evidence . . . [and involves] individuals with no demon-
strated relevance to this matter." Ultimately, however,
although Hoyle’s counsel had not sought the court’s interven-
tion in regard to the earlier refusal to produce the Williams
file, Freightliner produced it.

After an effort that continued for several months, Hoyle’s
attorney eventually located Williams. Following an interview
of Williams, Hoyle’s attorney drafted a declaration for Wil-
liams’ execution, which Williams modified, signed, and
returned to Hoyle’s attorney. Hoyle then notified Freightliner
of the declaration and supplemented the prior discovery
responses. The supplemental responses were provided nearly
two months after the close of discovery and after Freightliner
had filed its motion for summary judgment. On August 7,
2009, the district court granted Freightliner’s motion to strike
Williams’ declaration from Hoyle’s opposition to the motion
for summary judgment and, in the same memorandum opin-
ion and order, the district court granted Freightliner’s motion
for summary judgment. See Hoyle v. Freightliner, LLC, 2009
WL 2462098 (W.D.N.C. Aug. 7, 2009). Hoyle timely
appealed.

II.

We first turn to Hoyle’s contention that the district court
abused its discretion in striking the declaration of Christopher
Williams pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 37(c)(1).5
5
The rule provides as follows:
(c) Failure to Disclose, to Supplement an Earlier Response, or to
Admit.
(1) Failure to Disclose or Supplement. If a party fails to provide
information or identify a witness as required by Rule 26(a) or (e),
the party is not allowed to use that information or witness to sup-
ply evidence on a motion, at a hearing, or at a trial, unless the
failure was substantially justified or is harmless. In addition to or
 HOYLE v. FREIGHTLINER 9
The district court found that Hoyle failed to timely identify
Williams as a witness as required by Federal Rule of Civil
Procedure 26(a)(1). The district court further concluded that
Hoyle "has not shown that her failure to timely disclose Wil-
liams as a witness was either substantially justified or harm-
less." Id. at *7. We review the imposition of discovery
sanctions for abuse of discretion. See Nelson-Salabes, Inc. v.
Morningside Dev., 284 F.3d 505, 513 n.10 (4th Cir. 2002);
see also Yeti by Molly Ltd. v. Deckers Outdoor Corp., 259
F.3d 1101, 1106 (9th Cir. 2001) ("[W]e give particularly wide
latitude to the district court’s discretion to issue sanctions
under Rule 37(c)(1).").

Rule 37(c)(1) provides that a party who fails to identify a
witness as required by Rule 26(a) or (e) is not allowed to use
that witness to supply evidence on a motion. Escape from the
sanction requires a showing that the failure to disclose is sub-
stantially justified or harmless. Fed. R. Civ. P. 37(c)(1). The
pertinent Advisory Committee Notes emphasize that the "au-
tomatic sanction" of exclusion "provides a strong inducement
for disclosure of material that the disclosing party would
expect to use as evidence." Fed. R. Civ. P. 37(c) advisory
committee note (1993).

In determining whether nondisclosure of evidence is sub-
stantially justified or harmless, we consider:

instead of this sanction, the court, on motion and after giving an
opportunity to be heard:
(A) may order payment of the reasonable expenses, including
attorney’s fees, caused by the failure;
(B) may inform the jury of the party’s failure; and
(C) may impose other appropriate sanctions, including any of the
orders listed in Rule 37(b)(2)(A)(i)-(vi).
Fed. R. Civ. P. 37(c)(1).
10 HOYLE v. FREIGHTLINER
(1) the surprise to the party against whom the wit-
ness was to have testified; (2) the ability of the party
to cure that surprise; (3) the extent to which allowing
the testimony would disrupt the trial; (4) the expla-
nation for the party’s failure to name the witness
before trial; and (5) the importance of the testimony.

Southern States Rack and Fixture v. Sherwin-Williams Co.,
318 F.3d 592, 596 (4th Cir. 2003) (internal quotation marks
omitted). For the sanction of exclusion to apply, Rule 37(c)(1)
does not require a finding of bad faith or callous disregard of
the discovery rules. Id. at 598.

The district court reasoned that references to Williams in
deposition testimony and in Hoyle’s discovery responses were
"insufficient to alert Defendant that Williams was a potential
witness." See Hoyle, 2009 WL 2462098, at *7. In particular,
the court concluded that Williams was not identified in
response to discovery requests that expressly sought identifi-
cation of potential witnesses and persons with relevant knowl-
edge. In its analysis of the motion to strike, the district court
stated that Hoyle "has not shown that her failure to timely dis-
close Williams as a witness was either substantially justified
or harmless. Defendant has been clearly prejudiced in that it
has lost its opportunity to depose Williams. Accordingly, the
Declaration of Williams will not be considered by the court."
Id.

Under the circumstances, we are not able to say that the
district court abused its discretion in striking the Williams
declaration. Hoyle was well aware that Williams could have
evidence highly relevant to her case. While Hoyle referenced
Williams in response to one interrogatory, Hoyle chose not to
list Williams as a potential witness. Hoyle then belatedly noti-
fied Freightliner of Williams’ declaration, not only after the
close of discovery but after Freightliner had filed its motion
for summary judgment. Although counsel attested to her diffi-
culties in tracking down Williams, we do not fault the district
 HOYLE v. FREIGHTLINER 11
court’s conclusion that the failure to disclose Williams as a
potential witness was neither substantially justified nor harm-
less.6

Contrary to Hoyle’s contention before us, the fact that the
district court did not expressly mention the five-factor test we
adopted in Southern States is not indicative of an abuse of dis-
cretion. Cases decided subsequent to Southern States have not
required courts to expressly consider each factor when evalu-
ating discovery violations. See, e.g., Carr v. Deeds, 453 F.3d
593, 604 (4th Cir. 2006) (affirming district court’s exclusion
of testimony for Rule 26(a) violation when district court did
not mention Southern States factors). Finally, even if Freight-
liner should have disclosed Williams’ personnel file earlier
than it did, "litigants are not excused from their obligations
under the rules of procedure merely because an opponent has
failed to comply with his obligations." Id.

In sum, we conclude that the district court committed no
abuse of discretion in striking from the summary judgment
record the Williams declaration.

III.

We turn now to the merits of the district court’s summary
judgment ruling. Hoyle argues that the district court erred in
granting summary judgment in favor of Freightliner on
Hoyle’s hostile work environment, disparate treatment dis-
criminatory discharge, retaliation, and negligent infliction of
6
To be sure, the information to which Williams attests is highly relevant
to proof of Hoyle’s hostile environment claim. See King v. McMillan, 594
F.3d 301, 310-11 (4th Cir. 2010) (finding evidence about incidents of
which plaintiff was unaware relevant to hostile work environment
inquiry). In light of our remand of the hostile work environment claim in
this case, see infra, it is entirely within the district court’s discretion
whether to permit a reopening of discovery, with or without some substi-
tute sanction for Hoyle’s belated disclosure of Williams as a potential wit-
ness. See Fed. R. Civ. P. 37(c)(1)(A)-(C).
12 HOYLE v. FREIGHTLINER
emotional distress claims. We review de novo whether the
district court erred in granting summary judgment, viewing
the facts and drawing all reasonable inferences therefrom in
the light most favorable to Hoyle. Georgia Pacific Consumer
Products v. Von Drehle Corp., 618 F.3d 441, 445 (4th Cir.
2010). Summary judgment is proper only if there is no genu-
ine issue of material fact and Freightliner is entitled to judg-
ment as a matter of law. Fed. R. Civ. P. 56(e); Celotex Corp.
v. Catrett, 477 U.S. 317, 322 (1986); Anderson v. Liberty
Lobby, Inc., 477 U.S. 242, 247-48 (1986).

A.

Title VII makes it an "unlawful employment practice for an
employer . . . to fail or refuse to hire or to discharge . . . or
otherwise discriminate against any individual with respect to
his compensation, terms, conditions, or privileges of employ-
ment, because of such individual’s sex." 42 U.S.C. § 2000e-
2(a)(1). Because the workplace environment is one of the
"terms, conditions, or privileges of employment," see Meritor
Savs. Bank v. Vinson, 477 U.S. 57, 64-67 (1986), Title VII
creates a cause of action for employees forced to work in a
hostile workplace, see id. at 66 (establishing "that a plaintiff
may establish a violation of Title VII by proving that discrim-
ination based on sex has created a hostile or abusive work
environment").

In order to make out a hostile work environment claim
based on sex, "a plaintiff must show that the offending con-
duct (1) was unwelcome, (2) was because of her sex, (3) was
sufficiently severe or pervasive to alter the conditions of her
employment and create an abusive working environment, and
(4) was imputable to her employer." Bond v. Leavitt, 629 F.3d
369, 385 (4th Cir. 2011) (quoting Ziskie v. Mineta, 547 F.3d
220, 224 (4th Cir. 2008) (internal quotations omitted)). The
district court concluded that, as a matter of law, Hoyle failed
to generate a genuine dispute of material fact as to the second
element ("because of sex"), the third element (whether the
 HOYLE v. FREIGHTLINER 13
offensive conduct was "severe or pervasive"), and the fourth
element (whether some basis exists for imputing liability to
the employer). On appeal, Freightliner vigorously defends the
district court’s conclusions. For the reasons discussed below,
we disagree with the district court’s legal analysis of this
claim.

1.

We first consider whether Hoyle has projected substantial
evidence that the offending conduct was based on her sex.
"An employee is harassed or otherwise discriminated against
‘because of’ his or her gender if, ‘but for’ the employee’s gen-
der, he or she would not have been the victim of the discrimi-
nation." Smith v. First Union Nat’l Bank, 202 F.3d 234, 242
(4th Cir. 2000). A plaintiff "may prove sex-based discrimina-
tion in the workplace even though she is not subjected to sex-
ual advances or propositions." Ocheltree v. Scollon
Productions, Inc., 335 F.3d 325, 331 (4th Cir. 2003) (en banc)
(citing Smith, 202 F.3d at 242-43). Consequently, a trier of
fact may reasonably find discrimination when "a female vic-
tim is harassed in such sex-specific and derogatory terms . . .
as to make it clear that the harasser is motivated by general
hostility to the presence of women in the workplace." Oncale
v. Sundowner Offshore Servs., Inc., 523 U.S. 75, 80 (1998).

A juror could reasonably find that sexualizing the work
environment by placing photos of nude women or women in
sexually provocative dress and poses in common areas is det-
rimental to female employees and satisfies the "because of
sex" requirement. See, e.g., EEOC v. Int’l Profit Assoc., 654
F. Supp. 2d 767, 790 (N.D. Ill. 2009); Robinson v. Jackson-
ville Shipyards, 760 F. Supp. 1486, 1523 (M.D. Fla. 1991). As
amicus Equal Employment Opportunity Commission empha-
sizes, the critical inquiry is whether the plaintiff’s environ-
ment was hostile or abusive "because of" her sex. Amicus Br.
11 (citing Meritor Savs. Bank, 477 U.S. at 64 (Title VII "af-
fords employees the right to work in an environment free
14 HOYLE v. FREIGHTLINER
from discriminatory intimidation, ridicule, and insult.")). As
such, the Supreme Court has held that "the critical issue . . .
is whether members of one sex are exposed to disadvanta-
geous terms or conditions of employment to which members
of the other sex are not exposed." Oncale, 523 U.S. at 80
(internal quotation omitted).

A juror could reasonably find that the conduct of her fellow
workers at Freightliner affected Hoyle’s work environment
because of the repeated display of sexualized photos of
women. Although these photos may have been seen by both
female and male employees, a juror could find "[m]uch of the
conduct . . . particularly offensive to women and . . . intended
to provoke [plaintiff’s] reaction as a woman." Ocheltree, 335
F.3d at 332. Similarly, as the Second Circuit has noted,

[T]he depiction of women in the offensive . . . graph-
ics was uniformly sexually demeaning and commu-
nicated the message that women as a group were
available for sexual exploitation by men. Such work-
place disparagement of women . . . stands as a seri-
ous impediment to any woman’s efforts to deal
professionally with her male colleagues.

Petrosino v. Bell Atlantic, 385 F.3d 210, 222 (2d Cir. 2004).

In addition, the tampon incident, in particular, has strong
sex-specific connotations and a reasonable juror could infer
that the conduct was directed at women in the workplace and,
specifically, at Hoyle. A juror could reasonably infer that a
male co-worker placed the tampon, a clear sex-specific item,
on the truck on which Hoyle was assigned to work because
of "hostility to the presence of women in the workplace."
Oncale, 523 U.S. at 80. As a result, the district court’s conclu-
sion that Hoyle "cannot establish that any of the alleged con-
duct occurred because of her sex as the conduct took place in
group settings" is unfounded.
 HOYLE v. FREIGHTLINER 15
In addition to reliance on the character of the offensive
materials on display in the workplace, a reasonable juror
could reasonably find that Hoyle was, in fact, targeted
because of her sex. The district court concluded that, because
Hoyle did not know who placed the tampon in her truck, she
could not demonstrate that the act was directed at her. We dis-
agree. There was evidence that the tampon was placed in a
truck that either Hoyle or a female co-worker would take for
final assembly. There was also evidence that Hoyle heard
male employees laughing about the tampon incident. Conse-
quently, a reasonable juror could find that the tampon was
placed at Hoyle’s work station because of Hoyle’s sex. Simi-
larly, a reasonable juror could find the screen saver depicting
a naked woman reflected sex-based animus in Hoyle’s work
environment and was loaded on the computer because of
Hoyle’s sex.

In short, viewing the evidence in the light most favorable
to Hoyle, we are persuaded that Hoyle satisfies the "because
of sex" element of her hostile work environment claim for
purposes of summary judgment.

2.

We next consider whether Hoyle projected sufficient pro-
bative evidence such that a reasonable juror could find in her
favor as to the third element of her hostile work environment
claim: whether the offensive conduct was severe or pervasive
such that it "alter[ed] the conditions of her employment and
create[d] an abusive working environment." See Bond, 629
F.3d at 385. The question of whether harassment was suffi-
ciently severe or pervasive is "quintessentially a question of
fact." Paroline v. Unisys Corp., 879 F.2d 100, 105 (4th Cir.
1989), vacated in part on other grounds, 900 F.2d 27 (4th Cir.
1990) (en banc).

There are "both subjective and objective components" to
this element. Ocheltree, 335 F.3d at 333 (citing Harris v.
16 HOYLE v. FREIGHTLINER
Forklift Systems, Inc., 510 U.S. 17, 21-22 (1993)). The envi-
ronment must be perceived by the victim as hostile or abu-
sive, and that perception must be objectively reasonable.
Harris, 510 U.S. at 22. "[T]he objective severity of harass-
ment should be judged from the perspective of a reasonable
person in the plaintiff’s position, considering ‘all the circum-
stances.’" Oncale, 523 U.S. at 81 (quoting Harris, 510 U.S.
at 23). In addition, the totality of the circumstances includes
conduct directed not at the plaintiff. Spriggs v. Diamond Auto
Glass, 242 F.3d 179 (4th Cir. 2001) (rejecting the contention
that only conduct directed at the plaintiff could be considered
in evaluating a hostile work environment claim). Rather, the
inquiry concerns the nature of the workplace environment,
"and whatever the contours of one’s environment, they surely
may exceed the individual dynamic between the complainant
and [the alleged wrongdoer]." Id. at 184. See also EEOC v.
Fairbrook Medical Clinic, P.A., 609 F.3d 320, 328 (4th Cir.
2010); Jennings v. University of North Carolina, 482 F.3d
686 (4th Cir. 2007) (en banc) (noting that in reviewing hostile
environment cases "[a]ll the circumstances are examined . . .
[and] [e]vidence of a general atmosphere of hostility toward
those of the plaintiff’s gender is considered in the examina-
tion of all the circumstances"). See also Harris, 510 U.S. at
23 ("[W]hether an environment is ‘hostile’ or ‘abusive’ can be
determined only by looking at all the circumstances.").

The district court failed to recognize that a reasonable juror
could reasonably find that, taken together, the various inci-
dents and displays "that consistently painted women in a sex-
ually subservient and demeaning light were sufficiently
severe or pervasive to alter the conditions of [the plaintiff’s]
employment and to create an abusive work environment."
Ocheltree, 335 F.3d at 333. Instead, the district court con-
cluded that Hoyle’s "evidence only reveals simple teasing,
mildly inappropriate visual materials, off-hand comments, and
isolated incidents, which were not physically threatening, and
did not interfere with Plaintiff’s work performance." See
Hoyle, 2009 WL 2462098, at *3. Further, the district court
 HOYLE v. FREIGHTLINER 17
noted that "the calendars and pictures were not directed at
Plaintiff" and that "materials and conduct far more graphic
and offensive have been found not actionable." Id. (citing
Dwyer v. Smith, 867 F.2d 184, 187-88 (4th Cir. 1989)).

The district court erred. The record clearly demonstrates
that Hoyle subjectively viewed the incidents and displays giv-
ing rise to her complaints as abusive; only a contrary credibil-
ity determination, plainly not permitted on summary
judgment, could lead to a contrary finding as to the subjective
prong of the applicable test. See, e.g., Gray v. Spillman, 925
F.2d 90, 95 (4th Cir. 1991) ("It is not our job to weigh the evi-
dence . . . or to disregard stories that seem hard to believe.
Those tasks are for the jury.") (citation omitted). Moreover, as
we have suggested, viewing the evidence in the light most
favorable to Hoyle, we conclude that the multiple incidents
and displays here were far from "mildly inappropriate." See
Nat’l R.R. Passenger Corp. v. Morgan, 536 U.S. 101, 115
(2002) (noting that courts review hostile work environment
claims "based on the cumulative effect of individual acts").
To the contrary, the evidence might well persuade a reason-
able juror that in the aggregate, the incidents and displays
would have been objectively abusive to a reasonable person in
Hoyle’s position. Furthermore, the district court’s consider-
ation that the conduct of Hoyle’s co-workers was "not physi-
cally threatening," while certainly an appropriate factor in
assessing a plaintiff’s evidence, is not controlling. Actionable
harassment can be severe and/or pervasive without being
physically threatening, e.g., where it is humiliating and
demeaning. See Fairbrook Medical Clinic, 609 F.3d at 328.
In sum, the evidence marshaled by Hoyle was sufficient to
generate a genuine dispute of material fact as to whether the
abusive aspects of her work environment were severe or per-
vasive.

Our conclusion in this regard is informed by our firm con-
viction that the district court misapplied the appropriate sum-
mary judgment standard in concluding that Hoyle failed to
18 HOYLE v. FREIGHTLINER
generate a genuine dispute of material fact on the issue of
whether the complained-of incidents and displays satisfied the
"severe or pervasive" standard. This is made clear by the dis-
trict court’s citation to Dwyer v. Smith, 867 F.2d 184, 188-89
(4th Cir. 1989) (affirming district court’s findings that porno-
graphic material placed in plaintiff’s mailbox and evidence
that plaintiff’s coworkers engaged in sexually explicit conver-
sations were insufficient to show a hostile work environment),
to support its observation that "materials and conduct far more
graphic and offensive [than that evidenced in this case] have
been found not actionable." Hoyle, 2009 WL 2462098, at *3.
But in Dwyer, we affirmed the lower court’s judgment
reached after a trial on the merits, stating:

These findings and the district court’s ultimate con-
clusion that Dwyer failed to establish a prima facie
case of sexual harassment are not clearly erroneous
within the meaning of Rule 52(a).

Id. at 189 (citing Anderson v. Bessemer City, 470 U.S. 564,
573-74 (1985)). Plainly, the defense verdict after a trial on the
merits in Dwyer provides no support for an award of summary
judgment to defendant in this case.

On appeal, Freightliner pursues a similar approach and
undertakes to defend the district court’s summary judgment
on the issue of severity/pervasiveness by cataloging some of
the myriad cases that have come before this court and that
involved behavior considerably more offensive and opprobri-
ous than that shown here. While this tack is understandable,
and assuming that other cases involve more heinous behavior
in male dominated workplaces than that shown here, we have
never held that a weak case is necessarily one that should be
disposed of on summary judgment. The question at the sum-
mary judgment stage is not whether a jury is sure to find a
verdict for the plaintiff; the question is whether a reasonable
jury could rationally so find. Spillman, 925 F.2d at 95. On this
record, we are satisfied that the answer to that query is "yes"
 HOYLE v. FREIGHTLINER 19
and that it was error for the district court to rule to the con-
trary as a matter of law. We have never held that a grant of
summary judgment in favor of a defendant is a legitimate sub-
stitute for a jury verdict in favor of a defendant, and we
decline to do so here.

3.

Finally, we consider whether some basis exists for imput-
ing liability to Freightliner. In a case where an employee is
sexually harassed by a coworker, the employer may be liable
in negligence if it knew or should have known about the
harassment and failed to take effective action to stop it. Bur-
lington Indus., Inc. v. Ellerth, 524 U.S. 742, 759 (1998) (not-
ing that "[n]egligence sets a minimum standard for employer
liability under Title VII"). Under this standard, an employer
may be charged with constructive knowledge of coworker
harassment when it fails to provide reasonable procedures for
victims to register complaints. Ocheltree, 335 F.3d at 333-34
(citing Richardson v. N.Y. State Dep’t of Corr. Serv., 180 F.3d
426, 441 (2d Cir. 1999); Wilson v. Tulsa Junior Coll., 164
F.3d 534, 540-42 (10th Cir. 1998)). In addition, the distribu-
tion of an anti-harassment policy provides "compelling proof"
that the company exercised reasonable care in preventing and
correcting harassment. Barrett v. Applied Radiant Energy,
240 F.3d 262, 266 (4th Cir. 2001). To sustain her claim, a
plaintiff must show by a preponderance of the evidence that
the policy was either adopted or administered in bad faith or
that it was otherwise defective or dysfunctional. Id.

Here, the district court concluded that Freightliner took
"reasonable care to act appropriately to end any unacceptable
behavior. Any imperfections that [Hoyle] alleges in [Freight-
liner’s] investigation do not render [Freightliner’s] response
to the complaints inadequate as a matter of law." Again, how-
ever, the district court failed to view the evidence in the light
most favorable to Hoyle. The question is not whether Freight-
liner’s "response to the complaints" was "inadequate as a mat-
20 HOYLE v. FREIGHTLINER
ter of law." Rather, bearing in mind that the plaintiff need
prove only that Freightliner failed to exercise reasonable care,
see, e.g., Whitten v. Fred’s, Inc., 601 F.3d 231, 243 (4th Cir.
2010), and bearing in mind that at the summary judgment
stage, all facts are viewed and all inferences are drawn in
favor of the non-movant, here Hoyle, the issue is whether a
genuine issue for trial on Freightliner’s allegedly negligent
response is presented.

We conclude the answer to that question is "yes." A reason-
able juror could reasonably conclude on this record that
Freightliner had actual or constructive notice of the sexually
harassing incidents and displays and failed to follow its own
policies calling for a firm response designed to end the harass-
ment. Hoyle notified human resources directly after several
incidents, and Freightliner acknowledges receiving com-
plaints from Hoyle "centered around inappropriate material"
in the workplace. Indeed, Hoyle’s supervisor, Hopper, main-
tained on his office wall one of the calendars about which
Hoyle complained, see supra p. 5, although Hopper removed
it after Hoyle complained. Id. Moreover, a reasonable juror
could conclude that Freightliner did not promptly or effec-
tively enforce its own anti-harassment policies based on its
repeated failure to investigate. According to Hoyle, she was
advised by responsible management officials on several occa-
sions that her complaints would be looked into, but there is no
documentation that any investigations took place.

On this record, a reasonable juror could well find under
proper instructions that Freightliner had a reasonably effective
anti-harassment policy and that during the period May
through November 2005, it reasonably executed that policy in
the face of Hoyle’s numerous complaints. Of course, that rea-
sonable juror would not be compelled so to conclude, and
could reasonably reach a contrary finding. Such a juror could
find, as we have observed in analogous circumstances, that
"[t]he problem with the [Freightliner] policy lies not in theory
but in practice." Merritt v. Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc.,
 HOYLE v. FREIGHTLINER 21
601 F.3d 289, 297 (4th Cir. 2010); see also Amirmokri v. Bal-
timore Gas & Elec. Co., 60 F.3d 1126, 1131-32 (4th Cir.
1995) (reversing grant of summary judgment in part because
court "[could not] say that [defendant’s response to national
origin harassment] was, as a matter of law, reasonably calcu-
lated to end the harassment."). Accordingly, we are satisfied
that the district court erred in concluding that Hoyle failed to
generate a genuine dispute of material fact as to whether
Freightliner exercised reasonable care in foreclosing and/or
effectively responding to Hoyle’s alleged victimization
through coworker sexual harassment.

4.

We are persuaded, for the reasons set forth, that Hoyle has
satisfactorily established by competent evidence the existence
of genuine issues of material fact on her sexual harassment
claim under Title VII. We therefore vacate the district court’s
grant of summary judgment in favor of Freightliner on
Hoyle’s hostile work environment claim under Title VII and
remand that aspect of this case for trial.

B.

Hoyle also appeals the dismissal of her claim for disparate
treatment based on discriminatory discharge. To succeed on
a discriminatory discharge claim, a plaintiff must demon-
strate, under the burden-shifting approach applicable here,
that: (1) she is a member of a protected class under Title VII;
(2) the prohibited conduct in which she engaged was compa-
rable in seriousness to misconduct of employees outside the
protected class; and (3) she suffered more severe discipline
for her misconduct as compared to those employees outside
the protected class. Taylor v. Virginia Union University, 193
F.3d 219, 234 (4th Cir. 1999) abrogated on other grounds by
22 HOYLE v. FREIGHTLINER
Desert Palace, Inc. v. Costa, 539 U.S. 90 (2003) (citing Cook
v. CSX Transp. Corp., 988 F.2d 507, 511 (4th Cir. 1993)).7

If the plaintiff makes this showing, a presumption of illegal
discrimination arises, and the burden of production shifts to
the employer, "who must articulate a non-discriminatory rea-
son for the difference in disciplinary enforcement." Cook, 988
F.2d at 511. If the employer articulates such a reason, "the
burden shifts back to the plaintiff to demonstrate that the
employer’s reasons are not true but instead serve as a pretext
for discrimination." Id. Importantly, "[a]lthough intermediate
evidentiary burdens shift back and forth under this frame-
work, ‘[t]he ultimate burden of persuading the trier of fact
that the defendant intentionally discriminated against the
plaintiff remains at all times with the plaintiff.’" Reeves v.
Sanderson Plumbing Prods., Inc., 530 U.S. 133, 143 (2000)
(quoting Tex. Dep’t of Cmty. Affairs v. Burdine, 450 U.S. 248,
253 (1981)).

Having reviewed the record, we agree with the district
court that Hoyle was unable to "prove her prima facie case
because she has not identified any similarly situated employ-
ees who were treated more favorably while on a last chance
agreement." Hoyle, 2009 WL 2462098, at *5. While Hoyle
identified similarly situated male employees who called in
sick at the time Hoyle did and were not disciplined, Hoyle
failed to identify any similarly situated men who also had
problems with excessive absenteeism, leading to a "last
chance" agreement. Consequently, Hoyle’s claim for dispa-
rate treatment fails as a matter of law.

C.

Hoyle next argues that Freightliner retaliated against her
when she complained of co-worker misconduct when it reas-
7
Hoyle has not suggested the existence of any direct evidence that her
termination was discriminatory.
 HOYLE v. FREIGHTLINER 23
signed her to work the 5-S position and by terminating her
employment. To succeed on a retaliation claim, a plaintiff
must prove that (1) she engaged in a protected activity, (2) the
employer acted adversely against her, and (3) there was a
causal connection between the protected activity and the
asserted adverse action. See Holland v. Washington Homes,
Inc., 487 F.3d 208, 218 (4th Cir. 2007).8 If a plaintiff "puts
forth sufficient evidence to establish a prima facie case of
retaliation" and a defendant "offers a non-discriminatory
explanation" for his termination, the plaintiff "bears the bur-
den of establishing that the employer’s proffered explanation
is pretext." Yashenko v. Harrah’s Casino, 446 F.3d 541, 551
(4th Cir. 2006).

The district court concluded that Hoyle’s reassignment to
a 5-S position cannot support a prima facie case of retaliation
because "such assignment does not constitute an actionable
adverse employment action." We disagree. An adverse action
is one that "constitutes a significant change in employment
status, such as hiring, firing, failing to promote, reassignment
with significantly different responsibilities, or a decision caus-
ing a significant change in benefits." Ellerth, 524 U.S. at 761.
In addition, Hoyle "must show that a reasonable employee
would have found the challenged action materially adverse,
which in this context means it well might have ‘dissuaded a
reasonable worker from making or supporting a charge of dis-
crimination.’" Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway Co.
v. White, 548 U.S. 53, 68 (2006) (citing Rochon v. Gonzalez,
438 F.3d 1211, 1217-18 (D.C. Cir. 2006)). Here, Hoyle was
first reassigned from her regular off-line position to perform
janitorial duties. In addition to her reassignment, Hoyle was,
in fact, terminated. Both of these actions might have dis-
suaded a reasonable worker from advancing a charge of dis-
crimination.
8
As with her disparate treatment claim, Hoyle has not suggested the
existence of any direct evidence that her termination was retaliatory.
24 HOYLE v. FREIGHTLINER
Further, Hoyle demonstrates a causal connection because of
the temporal proximity between her complaints and her reas-
signment. While evidence as to the closeness in time "far
from conclusively establishes the requisite causal connection,
it certainly satisfies the less onerous burden of making a
prima facie case of causality." Williams v. Cerberonics, Inc.,
871 F.2d 452, 457 (4th Cir. 1989). Hence, Hoyle has made a
prima facie showing of retaliation.

Nevertheless, Freightliner has rebutted Hoyle’s prima facie
case by alleging legitimate nondiscriminatory reasons for
transferring and eventually terminating Hoyle. Further, Hoyle
fails to demonstrate pretext. Hoyle acknowledges that the Mt.
Holly plant was overstaffed and that there was no other work
for her to do the day she was reassigned to the 5-S position.
In addition, there is no evidence that Hoyle was regularly
required to complete such tasks.

Thus, Hoyle has failed to project evidence of pretext. Hoyle
presents no evidence that she was not terminated for calling
in late to work to report her absence. In addition, as already
mentioned, there are no other employees who had signed a
last chance agreement who called in late to work and were not
disciplined. Consequently, the district court did not err in
granting summary judgment in Freightliner’s favor regarding
Hoyle’s retaliation claim.

D.

Finally, we turn to Hoyle’s negligent infliction of emo-
tional distress claim. To make out a claim for negligent inflic-
tion of emotional distress, "a plaintiff must . . . [allege] that
the defendant was negligent, that it was foreseeable to the
defendant that his negligence would cause the plaintiff severe
emotional distress, and that the conduct, in fact, caused severe
emotional distress." Fox-Kirk v. Hannon, 542 S.E.2d 346, 352
(N.C. Ct. App. 2001); see also Johnson v. Ruark Obstetrics
and Gynecology Assocs., 395 S.E.2d 85, 97 (N.C. 1990).
 HOYLE v. FREIGHTLINER 25
"Normally, termination of employment, even where it is
wrongful, is insufficient to alone sustain a claim of [negligent
infliction of emotional distress]." Faulkner v. Tyco Elecs.
Corp., 552 F. Supp. 2d 546, 559 (M.D.N.C. 2008).

The district court correctly held that Hoyle failed to make
the requisite showing. Even assuming that Freightliner acted
negligently, Hoyle did not offer evidence to support the claim
that Freightliner was aware of any foreseeable risk of severe
emotional harm. As a result, the district court did not err in
concluding that Hoyle failed to establish a genuine issue of
material fact regarding her negligent infliction of emotional
distress claim.

IV.

For the foregoing reasons, we vacate the judgment of the
district court as to Hoyle’s hostile work environment/sexual
harassment claim under Title VII and remand that claim for
a trial on the merits. As to Hoyle’s remaining claims, we
affirm the judgment of the district court.

AFFIRMED IN PART,
REVERSED IN PART,
AND REMANDED