If you thought major news networks like Fox News were the only ones being accused of sexual harassment these days, think again. A new lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) claims “Massimo Zanetti Beverage USA, Inc. violated federal civil rights law when it failed to stop sexual harassment of a female employee and then fired her because she complained about the harassment.”
If you thought major news networks like Fox News were the only ones being accused of sexual harassment these days, think again. A new lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) claims “Massimo Zanetti Beverage USA, Inc. violated federal civil rights law when it failed to stop sexual harassment of a female employee and then fired her because she complained about the harassment.”
The lawsuit was filed on behalf of the female employee, LaToya Young, who had only been working at the company’s roasting facility for two weeks back in 2015 “when a male co-worker began sexually harassing her.” According to Young, the harassment she suffered included “requests for sex and sexual favors, as well as other crude sexual comments and gestures.” As a result of the inappropriate treatment, she “reported the harassment to her supervisor on at least three occasions,” according to the EEOC. However, instead of action being taken against the male co-worker, Young was fired after her third complaint “for an alleged performance issue.”
That’s when the EEOC got involved, contending that “Young’s performance was not the reason for her discharge, but rather was in retaliation for her complaints about sexual harassment.” The organization took up the fight for Young, and brought the suit “under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits sexual harassment and retaliation against employees who complain about it.” Only after attempts to reach a “pre-litigation settlement through its conciliation process” failed did the EEOC officially file the lawsuit on September 18 “in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, Norfolk Division.”
At the moment, the commission is seeking “full relief, including back pay, reinstatement, compensatory damages, punitive damages and injunctive relief” for Young, and the regional attorney for the EEOC’s District Office in Charlotte, Lynette A. Barnes, issued the following statement:
“Employers must remember they are obligated to take prompt remedial action when they learn about sexual harassment in the workplace. This case is also a reminder that a company must not retaliate after receiving a sexual harassment complaint.”
So how has Massimo Zanetti responded to the allegations? Well, so far the company, which is based in Suffolk, Virginia and “produces Chock full o’Nuts, Hills Bros. and Kauai Coffee,” has declined all requests for comment. It seems the public and the EEOC will just have to wait to see how things unfold, and whether or not the coffee company will admit any wrongdoing.
Sources:
Massimo Zanetti Sued by EEOC For Sexual Harassment and Retaliation
Suffolk coffee company fired woman after she complained about sexual harassment, EEOC says
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