She reported her supervisor. He returned as her boss — then it got worse
A lawsuit filed against Panasonic Energy alleges repeated HR missteps turned a harassment complaint into a months-long breakdown in workplace accountability.
Harper Coté, a former apprentice at Panasonic Energy Corporation of North America, is suing the company in federal court, claiming she was sexually harassed by a coworker and a supervisor, that HR investigations fell short, and that the company retaliated against her when she pushed back. The case was filed on March 13 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas (Coté v. Panasonic Energy Corporation of North America, Case No. 2:26-cv-02139.
Coté started working at the company in March 2025 as a skilled machine technician apprentice tied to the company's new plant in DeSoto, Kansas. Within weeks, she says, a coworker began making sexually explicit remarks, touching her without permission, and appearing to film her. She reported the behavior in May 2025 to her apprenticeship manager, who initially responded by encouraging her to keep engaging with classmates. It took a second report — from a teacher — before the matter was referred to HR.
Even then, the accused coworker was not placed on leave. According to the filing, he remained on-site for roughly six more weeks and continued the behavior before eventually being let go.
The more complex situation, at least from an HR standpoint, involved Coté's production supervisor, Brian Simms. She...
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