In a Press Release at http://www.eeoc.gov/press/9-21-09b.html , attorneys with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (”EEOC”) announced filing of a federal lawsuit in which the attorneys charge that a Georgia restaurant violated federal law by subjecting a waitress to sexual harassment and then firing her and family members for reporting sexual harassment.  In this regard, the EEOC is a federal agency which enforces federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination, including sexual harassment, and sexual harassment and retaliation for complaining about it violate Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.  According to the EEOC Press Release, agency attorneys contend that the restaurant waitress was subjected to unwelcome sexual advances, remarks, and inappropriate touching by a male cook at the restaurant.  As further stated in the Press Release, the waitress worked at the restaurant with family members, and they all reported the harassment to the restaurant owner, but nothing was done by the company to remedy the hostile work environment and the waitress and her family members were terminated in retaliation for reporting sexual harassment.  An EEOC attorney quoted in the Press Release stated that “The EEOC will protect employees’ rights to protest illegal conduct.”  EEOC attorneys filed the federal discrimination lawsuit after first attempting to reach a voluntary out of court settlement.  Further information about the EEOC is available at www.eeoc.gov . 

Whether employment related sexual harassment of restaurant waitresses occurs in Galveston, Houston, San Antonio or elsewhere, waitress victims of sex discrimination may contact the EEOC and an attorney to determine if a hostile work environment lawsuit is ultimately appropriate under the particular circumstances and facts of the potential waitress employment discrimination claim.

In Press Releases issued by the U. S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (”EEOC”) on September 21, 2009, attorneys with the federal agency responsible for enforcing federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination, including sexual harassment, announced the filing of a sexual harassment lawsuit against a Mexican food restaurant and settlement of another sexual harassment against a restuarant which serves Mexican food.  The EEOC Press Release at http://www.eeoc.gov/press/9-21-09b.html states that a Mexican food restuarant in Georgia has been charged by EEOC attorneys with violating federal law by subjecting a waitress to sexual harassment and then firing her and family members for reporting sexual harassment.  The EEOC Press Release at http://www.eeoc.gov/press/9-21-09d.html states that the owner of six Pennsylvania Mexican food restaurants will pay $35,000.00 and furnish equitable relief to settle a class sexual harassment lawsuit filed by EEOC attorneys in Pennsylvania.  As stated in the EEOC Press Releases, sexual harassment and retaliation for complaining about sex discrimination violate Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.  Further information about the EEOC and the laws enforced by the EEOC is available in the agency’s website at www.eeoc.gov .

In a September 15, 2009 Press Release at http://www.eeoc.gov/press/9-15-09a.html , the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (”EEOC”) announced filing of a federal sexual harassment lawsuit in which EEOC attorneys charge that a staffing company failed to take appropriate action when its employees complained about egregious sexual harassment at a plastic manufacturing plant to which they had been assigned.  According to the EEOC Press Release, the staffing company assigned a number of female employees to work at a plastic manufacturing plant and, on several occasions, a manufacturing plant supervisor rubbed his crotch against females and touched or slapped them on the buttocks.  The EEOC lawsuit also alleges that the supervisor also repeatedly made sexually offensive and demeaning comments to female employees.  EEOC attorneys contend in the case that instead of ensuring that its employees were not harassed, the company joined in retaliating against one employee for complaining by firing her and another was compelled to quit as a result of ongoing harassment.  Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 makes it unlawful to sexually harass an employee and to retaliate against someone who complains about employment discrimination.  An EEOC attorney quoted in the Press Release said “As more companies use staffing agencies to recruit employees, it is vital that both the company and the staffing agency understand that they are legally required to protect employees from sexual harassment.”  Further information about the EEOC is available at www.eeoc.gov .

In a September 16, 2009 Press Release, attorneys with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s (”EEOC”) Dallas office announced that a Southlake, Texas commercial drywall and acoustics company will pay a female former employee $60,000.00 and furnish other relief to settle a sex discrimination and retaliation lawsuit filed by the EEOC.  See, http://eeoc.gov/press/9-16-09b.html .  According to the Press Release, EEOC attorneys charged in the lawsuit that a female laborer was subjected to sexually explicit remarks and conduct for the duration of her employment, including being blatantly exposed to open urination in her presence and sexually offensive graffiti.  In addition, EEOC attorneys claimed that the laborer’s supervisors were aware of some of these incidents but failed to take corrective action and then fired her for complaining about the unlawful conduct.  Discrimination on the basis of sex violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits sexual harassment in the workplace and retaliation for complaining about unlawful harassment.  In this regard, the EEOC is a federal agency which enforces federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination, including sex discrimination and retaliation for opposing unlawful sexual harassment.  An EEOC trial attorney quoted in the Press Release stated that “Employers must do their part to ensure that all their employees understand boundaries of decent and respectful behavior to avoid violating the law.”  Another attorney in the EEOC’s Dallas District Office added, “It really is not that complicated for an employer to get a handle on this; it is a simple matter of teaching respect.”  EEOC attorneys filed the discrimination lawsuit after first attempting to reach a voluntary settlement.  Further information about the EEOC is available at www.eeoc.gov .

The U. S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (”EEOC”) is a federal agency which enforces federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination, including sexual harassment and retaliation for complaining about it.  In a September 3, 2009 EEOC Press Release, the agency announced filing of a federal lawsuit in which EEOC attorneys sued a provider of home health services for allegedly condoning a sexually hostile work environment in the home of one of the company’s clients and firing one victim for complaining.  See, http://www.eeoc.gov/press/9-3-09f.html .  According to the Press Release, EEOC attorneys charged that the company ignored at least 25 written reports from a female employee and a class of female certified nursing assistants of sexual harassment, inappropriate touching and sexual requests by a male client.  Attorneys claim that instead of taking steps to stop the harassment or removing the client from its services, the company continued to place the female employees at the home of the harassing client.  As stated in the Press Release, the company retaliated against one employee by firing her when she refused to apologize to the client for advising another certified nursing assistant of his actions.  Sexual harassment and condoning a sexually hostile work environment violate Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which requires employers to provide a workplace free of discrimination on the basis of sex, including sexual harassment.

In an August 31, 2009 Press Release at http://www.eeoc.gov/press/8-31-09.html , the U. S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (”EEOC”) announced that a gas station and convenience store chain based in North Carolina has agreed to pay $75,000.00 and furnish substantial non-monetary relief to settle a sexual harassment and retaliation lawsuit in which EEOC attorneys had charged that a female cashier was subjected to a sexually hostile work environment and then retaliated against by the company after she complained about the harassment.  According to the EEOC Press Release, the harassment was perpetrated by a former manager who allegedly propositioned the cashier for sexual favors, made frequent sexual comments and touched her buttocks on at least one occasion.  After she complained, the EEOC contended that no action was taken to end the harassment and the store manager drastically reduced her hours, which forced her to resign.  Sexual harassment and retaliation for complaining about it violate Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.  An EEOC attorney quoted in the Press Release said “Victims of sexual harassment and retaliation in the workplace often suffer severe emotional and financial injuries that can seriously effect their lives for years [and] It is the EEOC’s duty to pursue justice for the damages those victims suffer.”  More information about the EEOC is available at www.eeoc.gov .

The U. S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (”EEOC”) announced in an August 28, 2009 Press Release that it sued a company which owns a fried chicken restaurant in Raleigh, North Carolina for allegedly violating federal law by allowing a male employee to sexually harass female employees at the restaurant.  See, http://www.eeoc.gov/press/8-28-09b.html .  More specifically, the EEOC Press Release states that four female employees at the restaurant were subjected to sexual harassment, including unwelcome sexual touching, by a male restaurant employee between February 2007 and January 2008.  According to the Press Release, EEOC attorneys charged in the lawsuit that the company failed to take action to stop the harassment, despite receiving complaints about the harassment.  Such alleged sexual harassment violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.  An EEOC attorney quoted in the Press Release said “Once an employer is put on notice that its employees, male or female, are being subjected to sexual harassment, it must take prompt corrective action to stop it.”  EEOC attorneys filed the sexual harassment lawsuit after first attempting to reach a voluntary settlement.  In this regard, the EEOC is a federal agency which enforces federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination, including sexual harassment and sex discrimination.  More information about the EEOC is available at www.eeoc.gov .

Whether workplace related sexual harassment and employee abuse occurs in Houston, Texas or elsewhere, victims of employment related sex discrimination may contact the EEOC and an attorney to determine if a sexual harassment lawsuit is ultimately appropriate under the particular facts and circumstances of the potential employee abuse lawsuit.

In an August 28, 2009 Press Release, the U. S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (”EEOC”) announced that Taco Bell Corporation will pay a total of $350,000.00 in monetary damages to two young women to resolve a federal sexual harassment lawsuit filed by EEOC attorneys in Memphis, Tennessee.  See, http://www.eeoc.gov/press/8-28-09a.html .  According to the EEOC Press Release, attorneys charged in the lawsuit that two teenaged workers were assaulted at a Memphis store location.  As stated in the Press Release, the EEOC claimed that a former manager at the location sexually assaulted a female employee on her first day of work and, five months earlier, had sexually assaulted another female employee.  The EEOC reported in its Press Release that the former manager pled guilty in 2009 to raping both women and is currently serving two concurrent eight-year prison terms.  An EEOC attorney quoted in the Press Release said “These are particularly egregious allegations both because of the nature of the conduct and the age of the victims.”  Another EEOC attorney added “Protecting the rights of teenaged employees to be free from sexual harassment is a crucial part of the EEOC’s mission.”  In this regard, the EEOC is a federal agency which enforces federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination, including workplace sexual harassment and sexual assaults.  Further information about the EEOC is available at www.eeoc.gov .

The U. S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (”EEOC”) is a federal agency which enforces federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination, including sexual harassment and retaliation for complaining about sexual harassment.  In an August 26, 2009 Press Release, the EEOC announced its filing of a federal lawsuit in which EEOC attorneys charge that a manufacturing company subjected a class of women to egregious sexual harassment and fired an employee who opposed the harassment.  According to the Press Release at http://www.eeoc.gov/press/8-26-09.html , female workers were subjected to severe and pervasive harassment by a company supervisor, and, on several occassions, the supervisor sexually assaulted female workers by allegedly rubbing his crotch against them or by touching or slapping them on their buttocks.  In addition, EEOC attorneys claim in the lawsuit that not only did the company fail to take prompt measures to stop the sexual harassment, it engaged in unlawful retaliation by firing an employee who complained.  Futher, other female employees allegedly quit due to the hostile work environment.  An EEOC attorney quoted in the Press Release said “The company made a bad situation worse and increased its liability by retaliating against employees and witnesses.”  More information about the EEOC is available in the agency’s website at www.eeoc.gov .

In an August 26, 2009 Press Release, the U. S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (”EEOC”) announced the filing of a federal lawsuit in which EEOC attorneys charge that an engineering and construction company violated federal law when the company sexually harassed female employees.  See, http://www.eeoc.gov/press/8-26-09a.html .  According to the EEOC Press Release, the sexual harassment lawsuit claims that company managers told female employees stories of their sexual exploits, made derogatory remarks about women, and told one woman to “get naked.”  The EEOC says that female employees were offended and intimidated by the harassment, which resulted in an alleged physical assault.  Such alleged conduct violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.  An EEOC attorney quoted in the Press Release said, “No woman should have to endure such offensive working conditions.”  For further information about the EEOC see www.eeoc.gov .