Teenager Sexual Harassment Lawsuits

Sexual harassment violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (”EEOC”) is a federal agency which enforces federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination, including workplace sexual harassment.  Acting EEOC Chairman Stuart Ishimaru has stated that “Sexual harassment is always unacceptable, but when some of the victims are vulnerable teenagers, it is especially unconscionable.”  See, http://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/newsroom/release/11-03-09.cfm .  In this regard, EEOC lawyers have filed and pursued sexual harassment lawsuits involving teenagers employed at restaurants. 

According to a November 3, 2009 Press Release, EEOC lawyers announced that Ruby Tuesday, Inc. will pay $255,000.00 and furnish important equitable relief to settle a federal sexual harassment lawsuit.  As stated in the Press Release at http://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/newsroom/release/11-03-09.cfm , EEOC lawyers charged in the case that a restaurant general manager subjected female employees, some of whom were teenagers, to unlawful sexual harassment, including crude sexual propositions, lewd comments and graphic remarks.  More recently, EEOC lawyers announced in a November 23, 2009 Press Release at http://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/newsroom/release/11-23-09.cfm that a federal jury in Milwaukee returned a $105,000.00 verdict following a four day sexual harassment trial in a sexual harassment case brought by the EEOC against an IHOP restaurant in Racine, Wisconsin.  In that case, EEOC lawyers alleged that two teenage server employees were sexually harassed by their assistant manager, who subjected them to sexual propositions, groping and hair pulling.  As described in the EEOC Press Release, the jury found that the IHOP had acted recklessly with respect to one of the servers and awarded her $100,000.00 in punitive damages.  An EEOC lawyer quoted in the Press Release said “It’s never easy to stand up in the face o[f] harassment, especially if you’re young and you really need your job.”  The EEOC lawyer added that “But these women did that, and because of them and this case, women will have more equal opportunity while working at IHOP and elsewhere in the restaurant industry in Wisconsin.” 

Further information about the EEOC and the federal laws enforced by the federal agency is available in the EEOC’s website at www.eeoc.gov .

Whether teenage sexual harassment in the restaurant industry occurs in Dallas, Houston, San Antonio or elsewhere, teenage victims of workplace sex discrimination may contact the EEOC and a lawyer to determine if a sexual harassment lawsuit is ultimately appropriate under the specific facts and circumstances of the potential restaurant employment discrimination claim.