Chelsie Vokes Discusses Individual Liability in Campus Harassment

January 5, 2026

When “An Act Prohibiting Sexual Harassment” was passed nearly 40 years ago, it left confusion about whether victims of sexual harassment in educational settings could only sue institutions and not individual faculty members or staff. Both the trial judge and the Appeals Court have interpreted the Act to mean that a plaintiff subjected to sexual harassment by a professor can sue the professor’s employer but not the professor.

The Supreme Judicial Court will look to clarify application of the Act in Sabatini v. Knouse. Chelsie Vokes discussed the impact of the outcome with Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly.

“While this is not an issue in this case, if there is strict liability on schools, this will increase options for plaintiffs aside from suing the individual harasser, while significantly expanding liability for schools,” she said.

Continue reading “SJC to weigh individual liability in campus harassment” on the Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly website (subscription required).