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Analytic  Stress Relieving Inc, an industrial heat treating service company that services  the petro chemical and power markets, will pay $75,000 and furnish other relief  to settle a sex based retaliation discrimination lawsuit filed by the U.S.  Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”), the agency announced. The EEOC had charged that Analytic Stress terminated  a female employee in retaliation for her complaints about sexual harassment.

According to the EEOC’s lawsuit, (Civil  Action No. 1:10-cv-0478) filed September  29, 2010, in the Southern District of Mississippi, Analytic Stress Relieving  Inc, terminated Ashley Maygar because she complained that an acting supervisor  engaged in offensive and unwanted sexually suggestive behavior in the  workplace. Sexually harassing conduct violates  Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which protects employees from  employment discrimination because of their race, color, sex, religion or  national origin. It is also unlawful under Title VII to retaliate against an  employee who complains about treatment that he or she reasonably believes is  discriminatory.

The EEOC brought the lawsuit after  the agency investigated, made a finding that discrimination likely occurred,  and first attempted to reach a voluntary settlement.

According to the consent decree  settling the lawsuit, Analytic Stress will pay monetary damages of $75,000 to Maygar.  The company also agreed to provide sex  based  discrimination, retaliation and sexual harassment training for supervisors, post a notice for employees  about discrimination and disseminate information to employees on reporting  discrimination.