A woman who worked as a waitress at a Denny's restaurant says management's response to her sexual harassment complaint was to pray. Literally.
]]> The woman says her manager subjected to her ongoing sexual harassment, mainly in the form of inappropriate comments of a sexual nature. For instance, he apparently asked her if her breasts were real and told her she should participate in a wet t-shirt contest, according to JDJournal.com.The manager also allegedly told her that while shopping with his girlfriend at Victoria's Secret he was trying to guess the woman's size so he could buy her an outfit. The woman also claims that on Halloween, the man dressed up as a doctor and told her he wanted her to go into his office so he could examine her.
The woman decided enough was enough and complained to management about the sexual harassment. She says that in response they told her to "pray about the situation" and offered no other assistance or action. The woman says the situation did not improve from there.
Since she apparently got nowhere with management, the woman has hired attorneys to assist her with a lawsuit against Denny's.
Source: JD Journal, "Denny's fails to punish sexual harassment, telling waitress to pray instead," Feb. 21, 2012
]]>The woman claims the judge made inappropriate sexual comments, groped her and leered at her on a regular basis. In one instance, she claims, he told her to wear boots to work so he could see her legs. Another time, he allegedly told her to position herself in the courtroom where he could see her.
]]> The woman filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which gave her approval to go ahead with a federal lawsuit against the court system. She had previously logged formal complaints against the 64-year-old judge, a former prosecutor, with the county court administrator's office, but she says his behavior continued.According to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, she was assigned to his courtroom from 2003 to 2011 and was then transferred to another judge.
The judge she accused of harassment, not surprisingly, denied the allegations when she filed her complaint, calling her accusations "a big nothing." He also reportedly called her allegations "hurtful" and said he treats his staff like family.
The woman's attorney, meanwhile, says she is pleased with the outcome of the settlement. According to the Tribune-Review, her attorney calls the settlement "an indication of the struggles she had in dealing with an awkward employment situation."
Source: Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, "State agrees to pay $52,000 in Westmoreland sexual harassment case," Rich Cholodofsky, Feb. 15, 2012
]]>A woman who worked for McDonald's is now suing the company, claiming she was harassed on the job. She's also suing for wrongful termination, claiming she was fired after she formally complained.
]]> The woman began working at a McDonald's restaurant in July 2010. Within two days, she says her assistant manager began to sexually harass her. This included inappropriate comments, including comments of a sexual nature, as well as inappropriate touching.The woman says in her lawsuit that the assistant manager rubbed up against her and grabbed her behind. At one point he also allegedly wrapped his arms around her waist from behind and touched her breasts. She claims the situation devolved into a hostile work environment.
She says she complained to the store manager, who did nothing about it and allegedly terminated her employment by the end of 2011, apparently in retaliation for making the complaints.
The woman says she even had physical effects as a result of the harassment, including heart problems and panic attacks. She's suing not only McDonald's, but McDonald's Restaurants of West Virginia, the assistant manager and the store manager.
Source: West Virginia Record, "Woman sues McDonald's for sexual harassment, wrongful termination of employment," Kyla Asbury, Feb. 13, 2012
]]>The woman, who began working for the mayor as his chief of staff shortly after he took office in 2009, says the mayor continued unwanted sexual advances after she decided to end their relationship. She also claims he attempted to fire her and eliminate her position in retaliation for turning him down.
]]> Her position was in fact eliminated in April 2011, although the mayor says the decision was made by an alderman and that he had nothing to do with it.The 38-year-old woman filed a complaint of discrimination with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, according to the Clarion Ledger. The EEOC accordingly gave her the right to sue.
She filed her lawsuit in federal court, with allegations including sexual harassment, retaliation, hostile work environment and sex discrimination. While the woman did receive back wages for overtime pay when she was let go, she is seeking reinstatement or future wages and back pay, as well as compensatory and punitive damages.
Not surprisingly, the mayor is denying the former employee's claims. He described the woman as "disgruntled" and said he was disgusted and disappointed with her allegations. He also has called the lawsuit frivolous, saying the woman is trying to defame his character, and claims he is a happily married man.
Source: Clarion Ledger, "Vicksburg mayor faces suit," Jimmie E. Gates, Feb. 1, 2012
]]>The woman claims that the director, who was hired in 2005, put his hand on her inner thigh and rubbed her leg near her crotch on a "Casual Friday" in 2008. He apparently later admitted to touching her but claimed he was "determining whether [she] was wearing appropriate attire," according to the Oakland Press.
]]> He also allegedly made inappropriate comments and took an unnecessary picture of her in the cafeteria last year. She also claims he put his hands on her neck and offered to give her a massage after she fell down the stairs.The woman says she situation devolved into a hostile work environment, with the director designing to force her to quit her job. She also says she was unfairly disciplined for taking leave under the Family Medical Leave Act.
She was also apparently removed from her position as shift leader supervisor. When she complained to Human Resources, she says she was told to "let it go" and it was suggested that she should consider medical retirement.
The woman sued both the county and the director. She was reportedly treated for work-related depression and anxiety in 2008.
Source: The Oakland Press, "Macomb County settles sexual harassment, hostile work place suit," Jameson Cook, Jan. 18, 2012
]]>The EEOC, which received a record number of charges of employment discrimination last year, nearly 100,000 of them, says that the most frequent charge was retaliation. According to BizJournals.com, 37, 334 of the charges last year had to do with retaliation.
]]> Discrimination on the basis of race was the second most common charge, while discrimination on the basis of sex was third, with 28,534 charges being filed.5.4 million people reportedly benefitted from changes to employment policies last year. The EEOC also obtained over $455 million in relief through lawsuits and its administrative program, BizJournals.com reports.
One employment attorney notes that retaliation has stayed relatively stable over the last couple of years. There have been increases, however, in charges relating to age discrimination and disability discrimination. There were 25,742 charges with the EEOC last year related to disability, with another 23,465 relating to age discrimination.
Discrimination or harassment of any kind in the workplace is unacceptable. It's important for people to speak up when they face such behavior, and they should be able to do so without fear of retaliation. Unfortunately, many people are wrongly disciplined or even fired for reporting such behavior. That's got to change.
Source: BizJournals.com, "EEOC gets record number of complaints; many were retaliation," Kathy Robertson, Feb. 1, 2012
]]>A woman who worked as an administrator at New York University says she was let go from her position after she reported sexual harassment by a dean. The university is disputing, however, that she is out of a job and says she is encouraged to return to work.
]]> The woman says she was invited, along with others, to dinner with the dean at a restaurant. According to NYU Local, she claims that when she brought up a potential promotion, the man grabbed her hand and put it on his crotch.The woman reported the alleged harassment and says that as a result she was told she didn't have a job. She says the university told her the $98,000-per-year position no longer existed. However, a spokesperson for NYU denies that claim and says the woman still has a job there.
She has since filed a sexual harassment lawsuit. The woman had worked at NYU since 2007 and most recently worked as an administrator at the Schack Institute of Real Estate.
After the woman filed her complaint, the dean resigned from his position last October. Some sources say that he had been accused of sexual harassment in the past. He was reportedly fired from overseeing the Atlantic Yards project in Brooklyn. He had allegedly called female employees to sit on his lap in a private room while he acted as Santa Claus.
Source: NYU Local, "NYU denies firing administrator after she reported sexual harassment," Olivia Loving, Jan. 26, 2012
]]>In her lawsuit, the woman claims that the police chief and the detective who would fill in for him often made inappropriate and sexually suggestive comments. For example, they allegedly made unwelcome comments about her breasts.
]]> In one instance, she claims, the police chief presented her with a badge that featured the words "boob patrol." She also says the detective participated in lewd behavior and suggested another officer have sex with her as a favor to the department.The woman says she complained about the situation, to no avail. When the police chief was on vacation, she went to the detective with allegations that the chief made inappropriate purchases with work funds for personal items. Nothing came of it, apparently.
She also complained to the detective on another occasion about unprofessional comments a different detective had made. According to SeaCoastOnline, rather than looking into the complaints, the man called her "nutty."
When the police chief returned, she refused to go home as she was told and then was suspended for insubordination. She says she was dismissed permanently the following month.
The woman is seeking punitive and compensatory damages, including back wages dating back to the day she was let go.
Source: SeaCoastOnline, "Town of Kittery, officials facing charges of harassment," Deborah Mcdermott, Jan. 25, 2012
]]>Several female employees of a restaurant claim that their male co-workers subjected them to unwanted sexual harassment, including inappropriate touching. Now the restaurant has agreed to pay a settlement of $25,000 as a result of a lawsuit filed by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
]]> The women, two of whom were teenagers at the time, say the harassment goes back to 2005 at Rafael's Italian Restaurant, which is one of several establishments operated by the same owner across Tennessee.According to the EEOC's lawsuit, male kitchen workers at Rafael's repeatedly harassed their female co-workers. The harassment apparently included requests for sex, crude comments and inappropriate touching that involved using vegetables to simulate sexual acts.
The victims say they complained several times about their co-workers' behavior, to no avail. Management at the restaurant allegedly did nothing to stop it or change what was going on.
The lawsuit resulted in more than just a monetary award. As part of a consent decree, the restaurant is enjoined from discriminating against employees and must provide annual training on employees' rights. It also has to establish and maintain a written policy banning discrimination in the workplace.
The EEOC notes that failing to correct known sexual harassment violates Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. As one attorney notes, "Allowing serial harassers to victimize female employees without facing consequences is a clear violation of federal law."
Source: EEOC, "Rafael's Italian Restaurant settles EEOC sexual harassment suit," Jan. 18, 2012
]]>The lawsuit was filed by two women, the school's former director of human resources and the former assistant to the dean of students, as well as a man who served as a director of finance. They all claim that after the superintendent was hired, he made callous and sexually suggestive remarks and made numerous employees uncomfortable with his behavior.
]]> All three employees say they resigned after the superintendent created a hostile and intimidating work environment, and their complaints went unanswered.The former human resources director says when she interviewed the superintendent, he would not admit to why he was fired from a previous position. Nevertheless, school board members voted to hire him anyway. He allegedly refused to sign a copy of the employee handbook, which details policies regarding sexual harassment.
Various faculty members went on to report "inappropriate and disgusting sexual things" related to the man's behavior. When the director of human resources recommended the superintendent be fired, she says a school board member was irate and recommended she be terminated.
The assistant to the dean says the superintendent pulled her 12-year-old son out of class, asked if he was the woman's son and tried to intimidate him. And all three employees claim the superintendent retaliated against them by preventing them from scheduling meetings or highlighting sexual harassment policies.
Unfortunately, say the employees, they suffered severe stress and other problems, including insomnia, fatigue and even physical symptoms such as rashes. All three opted to resign.
Source: Annapolis Capital, "Christian school, superintendent sued," Heather Rawlyk, Dec. 30, 2011
]]>The woman filed the sexual harassment lawsuit in state court, although one is apparently pending in a federal court as well. The woman claims the director of the department sexually harassed her repeatedly, including by touching her inappropriately and sending her sexually suggestive phone messages.
]]> The woman says that when she complained, the director implied his friendship with the mayor would override anything she said. She also says that when she played the sexually suggestive voicemails for the department's second in command, nothing was done to remedy the situation.Other female employees sued as well. One woman who worked as an animal care manager settled a lawsuit against the department head last April for $287,000, according to the Courier-Journal.
In the most recent lawsuit, in addition to the sexual harassment claims, the woman says that the Animal Services department committed various illegal acts, such as giving away medications to unlicensed vets and euthanizing animals illegally. She also says many animals were treated inhumanely and that animals were crammed together in tight and dirty spaces.
The department director countered by saying one of the women was sexually harassing him because she wanted his job, and that the other one complaining of harassment "came on to him," not the other way around.
Source: Courier-Journal, "Lawsuit against Louisville Metro Animal Services claims sexual harassment, illegal activities," Jason Riley, Jan. 10, 2012
]]>The woman, an officer in the canine unit, says her supervising sergeant circulated an embarrassing flier in an email that mocked her body. According to the woman's lawsuit, the flier appeared on department letterhead and contained phrases like, "Subject wanted for having the baddest body."
]]> She says the supervisor harassed her many times over a period lasting a year and a half. Among other allegations, she says he would ask her to sit in his lap; asked her to take off a vest; and invited her to his house to go skinny dipping in his hot tub.According to StlToday.com, the woman's lawsuit also maintains that the supervisor and a lieutenant in the department, who is in charge of the SWAT and canine units, retaliated against her after she filed a complaint in the department last summer. She says they would evaluate her differently in performance reviews, give her unfavorable shifts and deny time off.
The supervisor also allegedly told her that she could be fired or have her police dog taken away if she did not comply with his requests.
In addition to the department, the woman is suing the supervisor, the lieutenant and the Board of Police Commissioners.
Source: StlToday.com, "St. Louis police officer sues, claims sexual harassment," Jennifer Mann, Jan. 10, 2012
]]>The sexual harassment allegedly occurred at a restaurant in Chula Vista over a two-year period. In the lawsuit, one woman says her manager took her inside a refrigerator, where he kissed her and touched her in a sexual manner. She says the behavior got worse and worse over time.
]]> The woman, who worked at the fast food restaurant for seven years and has since been placed on disability leave, says that the harassment sometimes took place while customers were there. Even though there were security cameras in the restaurant, she says the incidents often took place out of view.The four women are of different ethnic backgrounds, and they say their supervisor threatened to deport all of them if they reported the harassment. They went through with the lawsuit anyway, and are seeking an unspecified amount.
According to 10 News, a portion of the company's corporate statement reads,"...To glorify God by being a faithful steward of all that is entrusted to us." One of the women asks how a restaurant devoted to family values can allow her family to be destroyed.
Source: 10 News, "Sex harassment suit filed against Chick-Fil-A," Jan. 5, 2012
]]>The woman claims she was subjected to unwelcome comments and sexual overtures. The supervisor allegedly made comments about her breasts, emailed her lewd pictures, asked for naked photos of her and told her to wear sexier clothing.
]]> She has a long list of other accusations. At one point, the 31-year-old woman says, the supervisor gave her a phone number to call for a customer service department. She dialed it on speakerphone with customers nearby. It turned out to be a sex line with a woman moaning.In another instance, the woman claims in her lawsuit, she won a customer satisfaction contest in July 2010 and got letters from customers praising her job performance. However, the supervisor implied she got high customer satisfaction scores because she performed sexual favors.
She also says she sustained nerve damage and other injuries in an hit-and-run car accident. She says her supervisor pressed her to get back to work before she was ready, implied she was faking her injuries and made fun of the way her arm hung due to her injuries.
In addition to her supervisor and the car dealership, the woman is suing the dealership's president, co-owner and comptroller because she says they knew about the supervisor's conduct but failed to do anything about it.
The woman is seeking $150,000 in damages.
Source: LehighValleyLive.com, "Lexus of Lehigh Valley sued by former employee alleging sexual harassment," Colin McEvoy, Jan. 4, 2012
]]>The woman began working as the superintendent in 1997. She contended that the mayor, who heads the school committee, created hostile work environment, including by subjecting her to humiliating sexual advances, according to MassLive.com.
]]> She also accused the mayor of gender bias, particularly in terms of women's competence and pay. She at first filed a complaint with the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination in March 2010. The lawsuit was filed in February 2011.The woman's contract with the district was not renewed in 2010. She claims that the mayor engineered the school committee's decision not to renew her contract because she rejected his sexual advances and requests.
The mayor, meanwhile, argues that she did not file her initial complaint of harassment until the school committee voted in early 2010 to look for a new school superintendent. He also denied the woman's allegations in general.
As for the committee, the woman claimed in the lawsuit that it ignored the hostile work environment, allowed the mayor's harassment and breached her contract by terminating her.
Terms of the settlement, which was reached out of court, were not disclosed as a confidentiality agreement prevented them from discussing the settlement. The mayor himself said he did not know the terms of the settlement.
Source: MassLive.com, "West Springfield , former school superintendent Suzanne Marotta settle lawsuit," Sandra Constantine, Dec. 30, 2011
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