Category Archives: Sexual Harassment
Employers Have A Duty To Investigate Sexual Harassment Complaints
When an employer knows or should know about sexually harassing conduct in the workplace, the employer is required by Title VII of the Civil Rights Act (Title VII) to take prompt and effective remedial action that is reasonably calculated to end the harassment. As part of an employer’s remedial obligation, Title VII imposes a… Read More »
EEOC Lawsuit Uses Federal Law To Protect Employees Claiming Sexual Harassment
On March 8, 2016, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) entered into a Consent Decree with FYC International, Inc. (FYC) which settled an employment discrimination lawsuit brought by the EEOC on behalf of employees of FYC in the U.S. District Court, District Court of Connecticut. In the case of EEOC v. FYC International,… Read More »
The “Alter Ego” Sexual Harasser: A Company Owner Engages In Sexual Harassment
A recent case brought by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) in the U.S. District Court, Southern District Court of Florida on behalf of three female employees of McWhite’s Funeral Home, Inc. (“McWhite’s Funeral Home”) illuminates the legal consequences which arise when the person engaging in the sexual harassment is a company owner…. Read More »
What Is Quid Pro Quo Sexual Harassment
Courts have characterized quid pro quo harassment as the most severe and oppressive type of sexual harassment in the workplace. Quid pro quo sexual harassment occurs when submission to or rejection of a supervisor’s sexual behavior, such as sexual advances or requests for sexual favors, is used as the basis for employment decisions regarding… Read More »
Miami Jury Awards $17 Million to Victims of Sexual Harassment and Retaliation
A federal jury in Miami recently awarded a $17.425 million verdict to five women who had worked at Moreno Farms, a produce growing and packing operation in Felda, Florida. The case had been brought against Moreno Farms by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) after the five woman alleged that they had been sexually… Read More »
Complaining About Sexual Harassment In The Workplace
Once an employer has notice of sexually harassing behavior in the workplace, the employer is obligated to take prompt and effective remedial action to stop the harassment from reoccurring. Often times, an employer receives notice of sexually harassing behavior in the workplace in the form of a complaint from the sexual harassment victim. As… Read More »
Employees Protected Against Sexual Harassment By Non-Employees
Many people believe that in order for sexually harassing behavior in the workplace to be illegal the behavior must be committed by an employee of the employer. However, employers can be held liable for the sexual harassment of employees by persons who are not their employees, including customers, clients, contractors, and consultants. Numerous courts… Read More »
Same-Sex Sexual Harassment Is Prohibited By Florida & Federal Law
In 1998, the U.S. Supreme Court held in Oncale v. Sundowner Offshore Services, Inc. that same-sex sexual harassment is unlawful under federal law. In Oncale, a male employee was subjected to sex-related taunts, forcible sexual actions against him, and physical assaults of a sexual nature. In affirming the trial court’s dismissal of the plaintiff’s… Read More »
