CBS, Charlie Rose and Charlie Rose Inc. have filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit filed by three former CBS employees. The three female employees alleged Charlie Rose made unwanted sexual advances against them. Two of the employees were fired after coming forward about the misconduct. The employees also claim the company knew about the behavior but failed to address it until eight former colleagues came forward last November.
The women allege Rose not only made lewd comments but also inappropriately touched them while they worked at CBS. Rose argued the allegations that he repeatedly touched the women’s arms, shoulders, backs and waists are “routine workplace interactions” and “does not establish that a reasonable person in plaintiffs’ employment relationship would have perceived the alleged conduct as unwanted gender-based conduct.”
This suit comes after several months of actors, actresses, TV personalities, and others involved in the TV and film industry speaking out about their own sexual abuse and harassment. Sexual harassment victims can be both men and women. While the law does not prohibit simply teasing or isolated incidents that are not serious, harassment is illegal when it is so frequent or severe that it creates a hostile or offensive work environment or when it results in an adverse employment decision. The harasser can be a supervisor, co-worker, or someone who is not an employee of the employer.