Sexual Harassment Clients Get Justice from The EEOC

Two clients of Lebau & Neuworth recently obtained justice in connection the sexual harassment claims they filed at the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, in the Baltimore, Maryland, field office.

The EEOC press release on the resolution of the case states:

"A Baltimore restaurant, R.V. Associates Limited, doing business as Windsor Inn, will pay $200,000 and furnish significant equitable relief to settle a federal sexual harassment and retaliation lawsuit brought by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the agency announced today.

"EEOC charged that the restaurant owner sexually assaulted a female employee, identified by the pseudonym "Jane Doe" in the lawsuit. Others also harassed Doe, but the restaurant failed to stop the harass­ment, EEOC said.  Doe was forced to quit due to the intolerable abuse.

"The restaurant owner also engaged in unwelcome sexual touching of other female employees and made sexually offensive comments, including requests for sexual favors, to female employees, according to the suit. The restaurant suspended and later refused to increase the work hours of Keysha Costley in retaliation for her rejection of his sexual advances and filing a charge of discrimination, EEOC said.

"Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits sexual harassment and retaliation. EEOC filed suit (EEOC v. R.V. Associates Limited, d/b/a Windsor Inn, Civil Action No. 1:16-cv-00197-RDB) in U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland, Baltimore Division, after first attempting to reach a pre-litigation settlement through its conciliation process.

"The three-year consent decree requires Windsor Inn to pay $200,000 in monetary relief to Doe, Costley and a class of female employees who were subjected to harassment during the period Jan. 1, 2013 through the date of the decree. EEOC will identify appropriate class members and determine the amount of relief payable to them. The decree enjoins Windsor Inn from engaging in sex discrim­ination, sexual harassment or retaliation in the future. Windsor Inn will retain an independent monitor who will investi­gate any complaints of harassment and retaliation and make recommendations on resolving such com­plaints. Windsor Inn will implement and distribute to employees policies prohibiting sexual harass­ment and retaliation. In addition, the restaurant will post a notice about the settlement and report to EEOC on its compliance with the decree 

"Unfortunately, sexual harass­ment remains a serious problem in the workplace, including the restaurant industry," said EEOC Philadelphia District Director Spencer H. Lewis, Jr. "EEOC is committed to ensuring that no employee is subjected to sexual advances or harassment in order to earn a living."

For more information or to discuss your EEOC issue, contact Lebau & Neuworth at (410) 296-3030 or lebauneuworth.com/contact-us.