O'Reggio v. Commission on Human Rights & Opportunities

Summary

The court held that the federal definition of a supervisor governs vicarious-liability claims under the Connecticut Fair Employment Practices Act involving hostile work environments. Because the alleged harasser could assign work and perform other administrative functions but lacked authority to take tangible employment actions against the plaintiff, the employer was not vicariously liable, and the judgment was affirmed. The dissenting judges would have adopted a broader definition encompassing employees authorized to direct a subordinate’s daily work activities and would have reversed.