Duane
Reade Inc., a well-known New York drugstore chain that operates more
than 200 stores in metropolitan New York, will pay $240,000 and furnish
other substantial relief to settle a sexual harassment and retaliation
lawsuit.
According to EEOC's lawsuit, Duane Reade unlawfully
created, maintained and failed to remedy a hostile work environment at
one of its Bronx stores by subjecting several female employees to sex
and pregnancy harassment. The store manager, Madiaw Diaw, frequently
made vulgar remarks about women's private parts, sexually propositioned
female employees, made lewd comments about their pregnancies and
bodies, assigned unfavorable job duties to pregnant employees and
repeatedly grabbed female employees, including grabbing their buttocks.
Further,
the EEOC said, the employees who complained and filed discrimination
charges with the agency were retaliated against by being subjected to
further harassment by their supervisors.
Harassment because of a
person's sex or due to her pregnancy and retaliation for complain¬ing
about it violate Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The EEOC
filed suit after first attempting to reach a voluntary settlement. The
EEOC's lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court for the Southern District
of New York, (Civil Action No. 05-CV-00036) sought monetary relief for
the employees who experienced discrimin¬atory treatment; injunctive
relief requiring the company to implement policies and practices to
prevent future harassment and discrimination; training on
anti-discrimination laws; and the posting of notices.
"This
settlement achieves the EEOC's objectives by providing appropriate
relief to the victims of sexual harassment while implementing
appropriate measures to prevent this kind of violation in the future,"
said Spencer H. Lewis, director of the EEOC's New York District Office.
Monique
Roberts, the EEOC's trial attorney assigned to the case, added, "Sexual
harass¬ment is a violation of federal law. Employers have a duty to
maintain a work environment that is free from sexual harassment and
retaliation -- it's really that simple."
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