Could they have avoided this with training prevention? Are you aware of affirmative defenses that are available if you train your employees before wrongful activities in the workplace?
Tony’s Restaurant in Alton, Ill., will pay $75,000 and
furnish other relief to settle a sexual harassment lawsuit brought by
the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the federal
agency announced today. The EEOC had charged that the restaurant
subjected a teenaged hostess and two young female cooks to sexual
harassment.
In its lawsuit against Tony’s Lounge, Inc., and Italia Bakehouse and
Bistro, LLC, which operate Tony’s (Case No. 3:08-cv-00677-WDS-DGW) filed
in U.S. District Court in East St. Louis, Illinois), the EEOC charged
that while working at Tony’s Restaurant, Kristie Comer, an 18-year-old
high school student, was subjected to unlawful sexual harassment in 2004
and 2005. The abuse, which the EEOC said was perpetrated by Tony’s
Lounge vice president, Michael Ventimiglia, included repeated unwelcome
sexual advances and touching and sexually explicit comments. In addition
to Comer, the EEOC said, Ventimiglia subjected at least two other young
female employees to similar conduct.
Sexual harassment violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
The EEOC filed suit after first attempting to reach a pre-litigation
settlement through its conciliation process. Comer was also represented
by Sowers and Wolf of St. Louis and Edward Unsell of Alton, Ill.
According to the settlement, $75,000 will be paid the sexual
harassment victims. The settlement also requires that the defendants
provide training on sexual harassment to all their managers and put in
place a clear policy on preventing sexual harassment. The company has
also agreed not to rehire the alleged harasser, who has recently left
the company.