Thursday, September 3, 2009

EEOC: Taco Bell to Pay $350K to Two Teenaged Employees Who Were Raped by Store Manager at Work.

On Friday, the EEOC announced that it had settled a sexual harassment lawsuit brought against Taco Bell alleging that two minor employees had been raped by a store manager in Memphis. One of the girls was raped on her first day of work and another five months earlier. The manager was ultimately criminally charged, pled guilty to the rapes in 2009 and was sentenced to two eight-year terms as well as permanent designation as a sex offender under Tennessee law. The EEOC’s suit (Civil Action No. 2:07-cv-02579, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee at Memphis) alleged violation of Title VII’s prohibition against sexual harassment.

Under the terms of the consent decree, “ Taco Bell will pay a total of $350,000” and “will maintain a written policy against sexual harassment and will widely distribute it to all employees” in that region “within 30 days of the entry of the decree. The company will also conduct anti-discrimination training and posting of anti-discrimination notices.”

Insomniacs can read the full press release at http://www.eeoc.gov/press/8-28-09a.html.

NOTICE: This summary is designed merely to inform and alert you of recent legal developments. It does not constitute legal advice and does not apply to any particular situation because different facts could lead to different results. Information here can change or be amended without notice. Readers should not act upon this information without legal advice. If you have any questions about anything you have read, you should consult with or retain an employment attorney.