Cleaning Company Agrees to Settle Sexual Harassment Lawsuit
Over the decades of standing up to victims of sexual harassment in Central Florida, our Marion County employment discrimination lawyers have witnessed that despite advances in the workplace, culture and society, women today continue to experience sexual harassment at work in the form of sexual comments, unwelcome sexual advances, and even unwanted touching. This situation is especially troubling in a predominately female workforce, such as one commonly found in the cleaning service industry. One recent example of such reprehensible conduct resulted in a company agreeing to pay $200,000 to settle a sexual harassment lawsuit brought by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Learn more below about the facts surrounding EEOC v. Nekimi Holdings, LLC d/b/a The Cleaning Authority-Fox Valley, Case No:1:23-cv-01293-WCG, and contact our Citrus County employment law firm if you have been the victim of sexual harassment at work.
EEOC Alleges Pattern and Practice of Sexual Harassment in the Workplace
The Cleaning Authority-Fox Valley is a cleaning service provider operating out of Appleton in Northeastern Wisconsin (The Cleaning Authority is a franchise with hundreds of locations nationwide). According to the complaint filed by the EEOC, female workers at this location were routinely subjected to sexual harassment in the form of unwanted sexual advances, unwanted touching, and sexual comments. The complaint also alleged that employees who objected to the harassment were subjected to retaliatory discharge, while one employee was forced to quit (constructive discharge) to end the harassment she was experiencing.
Sexual Harassment Is a Title VII Violation
Workplace sexual harassment, including both quid pro quo and hostile work environment, have long been recognized by the EEOC and the courts as a violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 which prohibits employment discrimination based on sex or gender, among other protected characteristics. In addition, Title VII also protects employees from workplace retaliation for speaking out against sexual harassment, such as by complaining to a supervisor or the EEOC.
Employer Agrees to Financial Penalty and Other Remedies
To resolve the charges against it, The Cleaning Authority-Fox Valley agreed to pay $200,000 to the victims of the workplace sexual harassment. In addition, the company will be monitored by the EEOC for the duration of a three-year consent decree, during which time The Cleaning Authority-Fox Valley is expected to review, revise as necessary, and implement anti-discrimination policies that prohibit sexual harassment and retaliation. The company is also to provide in-person sexual harassment training to all employees, with additional training mandated for management and supervisory personnel. During the first year of the consent decree, an outside monitor will be appointed with the authority to receive and review any employee complaints of harassment or retaliation.
Marion County Employment Lawyers
Based in Ocala, Florida, and representing workers statewide, our Marion County employment discrimination lawyers are dedicated to fighting for the rights of sexual harassment victims. If you have been subjected to unwelcome sexual advances, nonconsensual touching, sexual comments and other forms of workplace sexual harassment, please contact our office for a free consultation with our Marion County employment lawyers. Our employee rights law firm takes sexual harassment cases on a contingency fee basis. This means that there are no attorney’s fees incurred unless there is a recovery and our attorney’s fees come solely from the monetary award that you recover.