LAWSUIT SHEDS LIGHT ON HARASSMENT OF FEMALE EMPLOYEES
The female workers at National Raisin’s Fowler, California, production facility, alleged that they were exposed to “unwanted groping; sexually explicit comments; requests for sexual favors; and threats of retaliation for not acquiescing to the harassment.”
And rather than address the alleged improprieties, the company is said to have retaliated against those who reported the misconduct.
Believing that such conduct violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) filed a civil lawsuit (EEOC v. Sunshine Raisin Corporation, d/b/a National Raisin and Real Time Staffing Services, LLC, d/b/a Select Staffing, Case No. 1:21-cv-01424-JLT-HBK) in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California, seeking monetary damages and injunctive relief.
In a recently announced settlement of the dispute, in addition to paying $2 million to the impacted workers, the company has agreed to modify its employment related policies and practices and will report periodically to the EEOC.
In a written statement, EEOC Chair Charlotte A. Burrows noted that “Protecting vulnerable workers from harassment, retaliation and other forms of discrimination is a key enforcement priority for the Commission as set forth in the EEOC’s most recent strategic enforcement plan …. Farmworker women, especially those with limited English proficiency, fall squarely within the category of vulnerable workers. The EEOC will continue to bring litigation where necessary to ensure that they – and all workers – have equal employment opportunity free from workplace harassment.”
If you believe you are entitled to compensation, the EEOC encourages you to file a claim, by calling the agency at: (213)-785-3093 or via email: National-SelectPCM@eeoc.gov
Think they raised cane after undergoing that?
# # #