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EEOC’s Lubbock Division Sues Credle Enterprises for Sexual Harassment


— April 13, 2022

Sexual harassment claims are only valid if the sexual behavior exhibited is unwelcome, and it can affect both men and women in the workplace, without relevance to positions held at a place of employment. 


An EEOC lawsuit was initiated on behalf of at least four women who worked for Credle Enterprises who were subjected to sexually inappropriate behavior during their employment. The EEOC alleges that this harassment included both physical touching of female workers, sexual jokes made by the manager, and the display of pornographic images. The EEOC claims that although Credle Enterprises management was aware of the harassment, effective action was not taken to prevent it from continuing.  This conduct is a direct violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII), which prohibits employers from discriminating based on sex. The EEOC filed its lawsuit in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, Lubbock Division (EEOC v. Credle Enterprises, LLC d/b/a McDonald’s, Civil Action No.5:18-CV-00239-C, after first attempting to reach a pre-litigation settlement through its conciliation process. Victims of workplace harassment should immediately contact a Texas sexual harassment lawyer for guidance surrounding civil and criminal remedies.  

“Sexual Harassment” background

Previous to 1975, the now openly frowned upon behavior of sexual harassment was so common in the workplace, it did not have a name.  Attorney Catharine MacKinnon pushed forward the legal claim for sexual harassment under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, as workplace discrimination, giving women an avenue to sue for damages under the law. It has been forty-five years since the “sexual harassment” label was introduced to the public, acknowledging the extent of the damage sexual harassment has caused in the workplace and beyond. Victims of workplace sexual harassment should contact sexual harassment lawyers in Lubbock for assistance with an EEOC, civil, or criminal case.

Civil rights violation

Sexual harassment at work is a form of employment discrimination and a violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the American Disabilities Act of 1990, and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967. Sexual discrimination is when individuals are discriminated against for being male or female, and for being pregnant, with regard to work environment, gaining promotions, gender salary gap and reductions of benefits based on gender. The discriminators in these cases are usually managers, bosses, and supervisors in places of employment, although sometimes co-workers discriminate as well.   

Workplace

Person at computer with Pornhub Website on screen
Person at computer with Pornhub Website on screen; image courtesy of Franco Alva via Unsplash, www.unsplash.com

Sexual harassment in the workplace is when someone forces unwelcome advances on another person through physical contact of a sexual nature, or requests for sexual favors, or other verbal, or physical harassment of a sexual nature.  It is a behavior that is punishable by law.  Claims of sexual harassment can include individuals who have been affected by workplace sexual harassment, even third parties who have witnessed it, due to the negative emotional impact it has on them.  Sexual harassment claims are only valid if the sexual behavior exhibited is unwelcome, and it can affect both men and women in the workplace, without relevance to positions held at a place of employment. 

Legal options

Sexual harassment lawyers  assist victims of sexual harassment, and legal consultation is the first thing individuals should do after reporting the abuse through the proper channels at a job in adherence of the procedural guidelines of an employer’s human resource department. Experienced attorneys can assist with civil and/or criminal action to seek damage compensation related to the workplace and/or sexual harassment, or assault.  

Sources:

  1. https://www.eeoc.gov/newsroom/eeoc-sues-credle-enterprises-llc-sexual-harassment
  2. https://www.justice.gov/crt/fcs/TitleVI-Overview
  3. https://www.eeoc.gov/retaliation

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