Blake Lively Harassment Claims Dismissed on Procedural Grounds, Exposing Gaps for 55% Reporting Misconduct
Updated
Updated · Ms. Magazine · Jul 22
Blake Lively Harassment Claims Dismissed on Procedural Grounds, Exposing Gaps for 55% Reporting Misconduct
1 articles · Updated · Ms. Magazine · Jul 22
Summary
Blake Lively’s sexual-harassment claims were thrown out for procedural reasons tied to her independent-contractor status under California law, with the alleged conduct itself never adjudicated.
Her allegations against Justin Baldoni—repeated sexual comments, body remarks and unchoreographed physical intimacy—highlight how federal law often leaves similar workplace behavior outside legal reach.
Under federal rules, harassment generally must be “severe or pervasive” to be actionable, while New York’s 2019 standard bars sex-based inferior working conditions unless the conduct is only a petty slight.
A 2025 HR Acuity survey of 2,043 U.S. employees found 55% experienced or witnessed workplace misconduct, up 14 points from 2024 and near a seven-year high, underscoring calls to tighten federal protections.