A federal sexual harassment and retaliation lawsuit filed on the behalf of a teenage vegetable packer in Santa Maria results in the California farm company paying $27,500 in a settlement, according to Mercury News.
The Santa Maria female Hispanic worker was allegedly groped by a supervisor. Management is also being accused of making lewd gestures to the worker and firing the young worker when she complained.
Our Pasadena sexual harassment attorneys urge you to report any and all uncomfortable behavior to your employer or company headquarters and follow up to make sure they take the proper steps to correct the situation. Reportable behavior can include offensive remarks about a person's sex in addition to comments or acts of a sexual nature, reports The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity C omission (EEOC).
As reported by the commission's Los Angeles office, the company will face athree-year consent decree, which for the establishment to pay $20,000 to the teenage employee and $7,500 to Proteus Inc., a non-profit worker procurement and training firm.
There are a few things you can do to help yourself get educated about how to handle sexual harassment in the workplace. First, it wouldn't hurt to get familiar Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This Act clearly outlines your rights to report sexual harassment at any time. If you are in fact experiencing any type of workplace sexual harassment, make sure to document the occurrences, including date, time and details of the incident for potential future evidence.
Lastly, it is important for you to be familiar with the policy of your workplace provided by your employer. Know who to report to and how to report an incident. If your harasser is your immediate supervisor, go to the management position directly above them and make sure to follow up.
If you need to speak to a sexual harassment attorney in Orange County, contact the California Legal Team at (310) 497-0321 to discuss your rights.
