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

Verdict of almost $6 million against Hyundai and manager

Earlier this month, an Alabama federal jury returned a verdict of $5.795 million (mostly in punitive damages) against Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama for harassment, negligence, and retaliation. The jury also awarded $10,000 in punitive damages against Swindle(!), the middle manager the jury found had engaged in harassment. According to plaintiff’s cocounsel, the jurors returned a verdict of twice the amount plaintiff Edwards had sought. “They were upset at the negligence,” cocounsel stated in an admirable example of understatement.

According to court records, the mid-level manager harassed Edwards for five months, beginning shortly after she started working at Hyundai. He repeatedly made lewd comments and gestures to her and at least once pressed his body against hers while propositioning her.

According to plaintiff’s cocounsel, Edwards mentioned the conduct to another mid-level manager, who told her she “should get used to it.” When she went to upper management, they transferred her to a job she was physically unable to perform and then was forced to take medical leave.

Unsurprisingly, according to plaintiff’s cocounsel, there were no anti-harassment policies in place, and Swindle had never received harassment prevention training.

So much for “America’s best warranty.”

Source: Birmingham News article

Taking a Bite Out of Sexual Harassment: EEOC Sues Denture Provider

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has sued a national denture provider, Affordable Care, Inc., based on alleged sexual and racial harassment by an affiliated dentist.

According to the complaint, the Massachusetts dentist propositioned one of his employees for sex, spanked another repeatedly, referred to women as “whining bitches,” made racial slurs, and warned he had a relative who was a KKK member and could “take care of” anything the provider wanted.

The lawsuit also alleges that although the employees repeatedly complained to Affordable Care, the company did nothing to stop it, instead firing one of the complaining employees.

An EEOC attorney reminded employers, “All entities who function as employers, including affiliated entities with control over operations of others, cannot escape liability for their discriminatory actions.” That’s a thought to chew on.

Source: Kansas City Infozine

Former Prosecutor Accused of Sexually Harassing Domestic Violence Victim

Not to be outdone by the defense, a prosecutor has been sued by a victim(!) in one of his domestic violence(!) cases, along with his boss and the Pennsylvania county that he worked for.

The woman alleges that the former prosecutor repeatedly propositioned her on voicemail and through text messages, using vulgar language. According to the suit, the prosecutor had a history of inappropriate behavior; moreover, the County District Attorney allegedly had been informed of misconduct by police and county officials.

The prosecutor resigned several months ago, when the allegations first surfaced. He had worked as a prosecutor for ten years, primarily in sex crimes and domestic violence prosecution.

Source: Centre Daily Times article

Florida Firefighters “Burned” for Ignoring Harassment Claims

When a female firefighter made sexual harassment complaints to her supervisors, they told her to “let it go” or keep it “in house,” according to a report resulting from an internal affairs investigation in Volusia County. Their failure to address the claims came back to “burn” them: at least three lieutenants were disciplined for failing to address her claims, and two captains were fired.

The months-long investigation, initiated by the County Manager after a conversation with a group of female firefighters, did not conclude that the female firefighter had been the victim of unwanted sexual advances. However, the post-investigation report did agree with her that male firefighters were sleeping in their “tighty whity” underwear around female firefighters and watching the Playboy channel while on duty. The female firefighter’s partner was disciplined for poor job performance and for his TV viewing choice.

The captains unsuccessfully blamed their failure to deal with the complaints on inadequate supervisory training. The county noted that all county employees receive training regarding sexual harassment when hired and supervisors received additional sensitivity training. Nonetheless, the county is now having a series of “serious sexual harassment training especially among supervisors.” It also has also begun renovating fire stations to provide separate sleeping and shower quarters for men and women firefighters.

Sources:
Daytona News Journal Online article
Orlando Sentinel article