Retaliation cases often turn on timing, but this one shows that even years after the fact, employers can still be on the hook. Add in a secretly recorded “smoking gun” conversation, and you have a recipe for a costly settlement.

TL;DR: The EEOC announced a $350,000 settlement with two Arkansas healthcare entities accused of firing a physician assistant in retaliation for her role in a sexual harassment investigation. The case shows that retaliation protections apply to anyone who participates in such investigations, that liability can extend even years after the protected activity, and that recordings of workplace conversations can be decisive.

📰Read the EEOC’s press release.