Professional in Human Resources (PHR) Practice Exam

What legal standard was established by the court ruling in Harris v. Forklift Systems, Inc.?

1. Preponderance of evidence standard

2. Reasonable person standard

3. Clear and convincing evidence standard

4. Strict liability standard

The correct answer is: Reasonable person standard

The legal standard established by the court ruling in Harris v. Forklift Systems, Inc. is the reasonable person standard. This case, which reached the U.S. Supreme Court in 1993, was pivotal in defining what constitutes a hostile work environment under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. In this context, the reasonable person standard assesses whether a reasonable person in the same circumstances would perceive the work environment as hostile or abusive. The Court emphasized that the focus should be on the perspective of a reasonable person, rather than on the subjective feelings of the individual voicing the harassment claims. This ruling highlights the importance of evaluating the totality of the circumstances to determine if the behavior in question is severe enough to create such a harmful work environment. The other standards such as preponderance of evidence, clear and convincing evidence, and strict liability pertain to different legal contexts and do not specifically relate to the subjective perception of a work environment in the same way that the reasonable person standard does. Hence, this standard serves as a crucial guideline for evaluating cases of workplace harassment.