"McDonald's is one of the most well-known brands in America and the world, and its image is one of complete reliability, good taste and wholesomeness," said EEOC regional attorney John Hendrickson of the Chicago District. "What we found was allegedly going on at the McDonald's in Reedsburg was something completely different and illegal.

What was going on at the McDonald's in Reedsburg, Wisconsin, according to the EEOC, was rampant sexual harassment and retaliation. Worse, the victims were teen workers.

"One of the distressing things is how young some of the victims appear to have been," said John Rowe, director of the EEOC's Chicago District, which includes Wisconsin. "Another is that some of the employees who complained about what was going on were allegedly either fired or ignored. It's cause for considerable concern, especially at a business which employs so many young and vulnerable women."

After an investigation and attempts to resolve the case through a conciliation process, the EEOC filed suit yesterday against Missoula Mac, Inc., which owns 42 McDonald's franchises, including the one in Reedsburg. The agency is seeking compensatory and punitive damages on behalf of a class of female employees, as well as injunctive relief to prevent the harassment and retaliation from continuing.

McDonald's franchise harbored an intolerable sexually hostile work environment, EEOC says

According to the EEOC's investigation, the owners and management of the Reedsburg McDonald's allowed male employees to create a work environment that was so sexually hostile that at least one woman felt compelled to quit her job to avoid it.

Female employees, many of whom were high school students, were subjected to unwanted sexual advances, lewd comments and inappropriate physical touching by male co-workers. They commonly made sexual comments about the young women's bodies and routinely propositioned them for sex -- practices that the owners and managers ignored.

When some of the women complained, their sexual harassment complaints were ignored and some were fired in retaliation for complaining.

After three former employees filed complaints with the EEOC, an administrative investigation was begun, which ultimately revealed the depth of the alleged harassment, retaliation and wrongful terminations. Missoula Mac, Inc. refused to settle, and the lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin on April 13.

"This litigation is going to put the Reedsburg McDonald's under a well-deserved microscope, and, if the allegations are borne out, assure that appropriate relief is provided to the victims and that the harassment is brought to a halt," said Hendrickson.

Source: EEOC press release, "EEOC Sues Owner of 42 McDonald's Restaurants for Sexual Harassment and Retaliation," April 13, 2011