Federal Harassment Claims by Men Are on the Rise

According to the EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission), sexual harassment claims by men are on the rise, reports the Associated Press. While women still file the vast majority of harassment claims, and overall claims are on the decline, the percentage of claims filed by men has doubled from 8 to 16 percent in the last 19 years.

Most claims by men are against other men. Sometimes, the allegations are that they are being picked on by other men for being gay or being seen as gay or too effeminate. Other allegations claim unwelcome sexual advances.

Consistent with this trend, the percentage of lawsuits filed by the EEOC on behalf of men hit an all-time high of 14 percent last year. The EEOC says it intends to send a message that such behavior is unacceptable and unlawful and must be taken seriously.

One of the lessons? Employers should take harassment complaints seriously, regardless of the gender of the person making the complaint or the person about whom the complaint is made.

Source: Sam Hananel AP article: http://heraldsun.com/view/full_story/6576036/article-More-men-file-workplace-sexual-harassment-claims

EEOC sues Dunkin Donuts alleging harassment of teen workers

According to a lawsuit brought by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission this week, at least two teenage female employees at a Dunkin Donuts in Wynantskill, New York have alleged their supervisor sexually harassed them.

According to the lawsuit, one employee was 16 and the other 17 in 2006 when their supervisor started touching their breasts and buttocks, kissing and hugging them, and telling them that they were “hot” and that he preferred virgins. The EEOC has estimated that the conduct affected between five and 15 other employees.

According to the EEOC, the employees complained more than once to the company but were ignored. One of the girls contacted the EEOC in 2007.

The EEOC is seeking not only back pay and pain and suffering but punitive damages as well. The assigned EEOC trial attorney warned, “The EEOC takes allegations of sexual harassment very seriously, especially when the employees being harassed are teens. For many of these employees, this is their first job and they don’t know how to complain, especially when the harasser is their manager.”

Young employees are particularly at risk for being sexually harassed. I don’t know what Dunkin Donuts was thinking if they ignored the complaints. If this goes to trial, a jury is not going to like hearing these allegations. If the jury finds for plaintiffs, bet you dollars to donuts it’s going to be a substantial verdict.

Here’s the article from The Troy Record.

Racial Harassment Case Includes Display of Noose

Here’s a particularly scary piece of news:

The EEOC has sued a Sikesville, Missouri construction company for racial harassment. Allegedly, two supervisors–brothers of the owner–not only made racially charged statements to three of their African-American employees but displayed a noose (and apparently “used” it in an unspecified manner). Then, when the company owner was told about his brothers’ allegedly behavior, he no longer sent to the complainants out for jobs.

Harassment, retaliation, and threats of lynching. Who says a builder can’t be busy in this economy?

Source: The St. Louis American article