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An
eight person federal jury has returned a unanimous verdict in a sexual
harassment lawsuit against AutoZone, Inc., the Memphis, Tenn.-based
national auto parts retail giant, the EEOC announced.
The jury
ruled that AutoZone violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
by subjecting employee Stacy Wing to a sexually hostile work
environment. Wing complained about the sex harassment, but AutoZone
failed to take immediate and appropriate action to stop it, the EEOC
said. The jury verdict in favor of the EEOC provides Wing with $65,000
in compensatory and punitive damages.
The evidence presented at
trial by the EEOC showed that Wing was subjected to egregious sexual
harassment when she worked at the Mesa, Ariz.-based AutoZone in 2003.
The EEOC presented evidence that the store manager repeatedly forced
Wing's head down to his genitals and made crude sexual remarks to her.
At least one incident was caught on the store's video camera, but
AutoZone maintained it lost the video prior to trial, along with all
records of Wing's complaints and the "investigation" AutoZone claims it
conducted.
"I am grateful to the EEOC for believing in this case
and seeking justice on my behalf," Wing said after the trial. "Without
the EEOC, this type of behavior would go unchecked by those employers
who do not care or do not understand how devastating sexual harassment
can be to someone's life."
The jury found that the sexual
harassment of Wing violated Title VII, the federal statute that
prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex
(including sexual harassment) and national origin, and protects
employees who complain about such offenses, or participate in
investigations of such offenses, from retaliation.
EEOC Phoenix
District Director Chester V. Bailey said, "The jury sent a strong
message that AutoZone failed to remedy the sexual harassment of Ms.
Wing. The lawyers from our office did outstanding work in litigating
this case."
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