EEOC Challenges Sexual Harassment at Animal Health Products Company
Source: U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – A South Dakota animal health products distributor violated federal civil rights laws by allegedly permitting a male employee in its Sioux Falls distribution center to sexually harass female employees, even after direct complaints were made to a manager, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) charged in a lawsuit it filed Friday.
According to the EEOC’s suit, between 2007 and 2008, an employee of the company told sexually explicit jokes and made highly personalized sexual comments which demeaned and humiliated female employees. The EEOC’s administrative investigation indicated complaints were made to a direct supervisor, who allegedly took no action to remedy the harassment. Further, the investigation showed even after complaints were allegedly raised with upper management, the company failed to stop the harasser’s conduct, which was so severe that a female employee felt forced to quit her job.
Sexual harassment violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The EEOC filed its suit, which was docketed before Judge Lawrence L. Piersol, in the U.S. District Court for the District of South Dakota, after first attempting to reach a pre-litigation settlement through its conciliation process.
“It appears -- and we intend to prove it in court – the company knew about this man’s alleged misconduct but allowed him to continue to abuse female employees by engaging in highly sexualized speech,” said John Hendrickson, the EEOC regional attorney in Chicago. “What (the company) didn’t seem to get is that, under federal law, women don’t have to put up with that kind of talk to keep their jobs.”
The EEOC’s lawsuit stems from a charge of discrimination that was filed by a former employee of Vet Pharm.
In this case, the EEOC is seeking injunctive relief that will require the company to obtain training on sexual harassment and adopt an effective sexual harassment prevention policy that complies with federal law. The EEOC will also seek back pay as well as compensatory and punitive damages on behalf of the original complainant and a class of the company’s female employees who suffered sexual harassment.
According to its website, the company a full-service animal health products distributor providing services to veterinarians, with three locations in Iowa, South Dakota and Idaho.
The EEOC enforces federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination. Further information about the EEOC is available on its website at
www.eeoc.gov.
To find out more about the employment discrimination laws that impact your company, or for anti-harassment training, please contact Berkshire Associates at 800.882.8904 or email bai@berkshireassociates.com.
Source: U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – A South Dakota animal health products distributor violated federal civil rights laws by allegedly permitting a male employee in its Sioux Falls distribution center to sexually harass female employees, even after direct complaints were made to a manager, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) charged in a lawsuit it filed Friday.
According to the EEOC’s suit, between 2007 and 2008, an employee of the company told sexually explicit jokes and made highly personalized sexual comments which demeaned and humiliated female employees. The EEOC’s administrative investigation indicated complaints were made to a direct supervisor, who allegedly took no action to remedy the harassment. Further, the investigation showed even after complaints were allegedly raised with upper management, the company failed to stop the harasser’s conduct, which was so severe that a female employee felt forced to quit her job.
Sexual harassment violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The EEOC filed its suit, which was docketed before Judge Lawrence L. Piersol, in the U.S. District Court for the District of South Dakota, after first attempting to reach a pre-litigation settlement through its conciliation process.
“It appears -- and we intend to prove it in court – the company knew about this man’s alleged misconduct but allowed him to continue to abuse female employees by engaging in highly sexualized speech,” said John Hendrickson, the EEOC regional attorney in Chicago. “What (the company) didn’t seem to get is that, under federal law, women don’t have to put up with that kind of talk to keep their jobs.”
The EEOC’s lawsuit stems from a charge of discrimination that was filed by a former employee of Vet Pharm.
In this case, the EEOC is seeking injunctive relief that will require the company to obtain training on sexual harassment and adopt an effective sexual harassment prevention policy that complies with federal law. The EEOC will also seek back pay as well as compensatory and punitive damages on behalf of the original complainant and a class of the company’s female employees who suffered sexual harassment.
According to its website, the company a full-service animal health products distributor providing services to veterinarians, with three locations in Iowa, South Dakota and Idaho.
The EEOC enforces federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination. Further information about the EEOC is available on its website at
www.eeoc.gov.
To find out more about the employment discrimination laws that may impact your company, or for anti-harassment training, please contact Berkshire Associates at 800.882.8904 or email bai@berkshireassociates.com.