Dunkin’ Donuts Franchise to Pay $150,000 to Settle Sexual Harassment Lawsuit

Doughnut Franchise Manager Sexually Harassed Young Female Employees, Some in Their Teens, and Retaliated Against Worker Who Resisted Advances, Federal Agency Charged

NEW YORK - Hillcrest Marshall, Inc., which owns multiple Dunkin' Donuts franchises in Westchester County, N.Y., will pay $150,000 to former employees to settle a sexual harassment lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the agency announced today.

According to EEOC's lawsuit, Hillcrest Marshall violated federal law by subjecting female employees, some of whom were in their teens at the time, to sexual harassment by a store manager at one of its Dunkin' Donuts locations. For example, EEOC said, the store manager talked about his genitals, tried to kiss a female worker who was 20 years old at the time, and pressured her to have sex. The manager hit her, cursed and yelled at her regularly due to being rejected by her. When she contacted the police, she was fired in retaliation for resisting his advances, EEOC said.

Read more here.

Federal Judge Awards $1,470,000 in EEOC Sexual Harassment and Retaliation Case Against Z Foods

Workers Who Were Sexually Harassed and Fired for Complaining Vindicated in Court's Ruling

FRESNO, Calif. - A federal judge has ordered Z Foods, Inc., once one of the largest dried fruit processors in the United States, to pay $1,470,000 in damages in a sexual harassment and retaliation lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the federal agency announced today.

EEOC had charged that Z Foods allowed male supervisors to sexually harass a class of female employees and fired male and female employees when they complained about the sexual harassment. The court awarded the maximum allowed by the statute, offset by a previous settlement, and ruled that the claimants suffered severe emotional distress as a result of actions of Z Foods.

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Sexual harassment training 'not as effective' in stopping behavior at work

Federal labor regulators have concluded that sexual harassment prevention training is often ineffective and sometimes even harmful, in a new report that strengthens growing claims that US universities are failing to combat gender discrimination.

A taskforce of the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission found that workplace initiatives targeting harassment are generally focused on avoiding legal liability instead of stopping misconduct, echoing concerns of faculty at the University of California at Berkeley, which has received international attention for its high-profile scandals.

Read the full Guardian story here.

Hearing Officer Awards $175K to Harassed MSU-Northern Dean

Diverse Issues in Higher Education

HAVRE, Mont. ― A hearing officer with the Montana Human Rights Commission has awarded $175,000 to a dean at Montana State University-Northern who complained that the former provost sexually harassed him.

Read the story here.

Justice Dept. Slams U. of New Mexico Over Sexual-Assault Policies

The Chronicle of Higher Education

The U.S. Department of Justice has found that the University of New Mexico violates federal law in how it responds to reports of sexual harassment and assault, the department said on Friday in a news release. <> Read the story here.

UC president calls for stronger steps in faculty sexual harassment cases

By Teresa Watanabe, Los Angeles Times

A review of sexual harassment policies involving faculty at the University of California has failed to make sure that investigations are effective, cases are consistently handled and sanctions are strong enough to fit the offense, according to UC President Janet Napolitano.

Read the story here.

Related content:

• University Officials Face History of Sexual Harassment Allegations (DiversityInc)
• More Review of U of California Harassment Investigations (Inside Higher Ed)

County Fair Farm Settles EEOC Class Sex Harassment and Retaliation Suit

Maine Farm Subjected Farmworkers to Abuse Since 2003, Federal Agency Charged

BOSTON - The federal district court in Portland, Maine has approved a consent decree resolving discrimination litigation brought by U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) against County Fair Farm, the federal agency announced today.

Read the press release here.

Niemann Foods / County Market Store #224 To Pay $300,000 To Resolve EEOC Discrimination Finding

Class of Women Subjected to Misconduct, Including Unwelcome Physical Contact, Federal Agency Found

CHICAGO - Niemann Foods, Inc., doing business as County Market Store #224, based in Quincy, Ill., has agreed to pay $300,000 to conciliate a sexual harassment charge investigated by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the federal agency announced today.

Read the press release here.

FYC International to Pay $80,000 to Settle EEOC Sexual Harassment Suit

?Top Warehouse Manager Abused Women and Promoted a Culture Condoning Such Misconduct, Federal Agency Charged

NEW HAVEN, Conn. - FYC International Inc., a manufacturer and wholesaler of women's and children's clothing and accessories that is no longer in operation, will pay $80,000 and provide other relief to settle a sexual harassment lawsuit by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the agency announced today.

Read the story here.

Berkeley Is Under Fire, Again, for How It Handled Sexual Harassment

By Robin Wilson, The Chronicle of Higher Education

For the second time in the last five months, the University of California at Berkeley is facing charges that it failed to adequately punish an academic, in this case, a law dean, whom it found responsible for sexual harassment.

Read the story here.

Related content:

• Law Dean Accused of Harassment Says UC-Berkeley Violated His Rights (The Chronicle of Higher Education)
• At UC Berkeley, promises of a crackdown on sexual misconduct are met with skepticism by students (Los Angeles Times)
• UC Berkeley Names Interim Lead to Address Sexual Harassment (NBC Bay Area)
• UC Berkeley announces new plans to prevent sexual assault, harassment (Berkeley News)
• UC Berkeley law dean Choudhry resigns amid harassment scandal (San Fransisco Chronicle)
• Berkeley Professors Complain About Response to Other Sexual-Harassment Cases (The Chronicle of Higher Education)
• Multiple sex harassment cases against UC faculty prompt new review process (Los Angeles Times)
• U. of California President Orders Tougher Response to Alleged Sexual Misconduct (The Chronicle of Higher Education)
• Berkeley Moves to Fire Assistant Basketball Coach After Harassment Investigation (The Chronicle of Higher Education)

Education Dept. Defends Its Approach to Title IX in Face of Senate Pressure

By Peter Schmidt, The Chronicle of Higher Education

The Education Department is standing by its controversial guidance to colleges on sexual harassment and sexual assault in response to questions raised by a prominent Senate critic.

Read the story here.

Related content:

• Colleges Are Frustrated Over Lack of Clarification on Title IX Guidance (Inside Higher Ed)
• Why a Congresswoman Is Pressing Colleges to Do More on Harassment (The Chronicle of Higher Education)
• Astronomer Geoff Marcy’s Downfall (The Chronicle of Higher Education - requires paid subscription)
• Lawmaker Calls Out a Professor — and Colleges — on Sexual Harassment (The Chronicle of Higher Education - requires paid subscription)
• Peyton Manning mentioned in Title IX lawsuit against University of Tennessee (CNN)

Memphis Cheddar’s Settles EEOC Sexual Harassment Lawsuit for $450,000

Male Managers at Memphis Restaurant Sexually Harassed a Class of Female Employees, Federal Agency Charged

MEMPHIS - Mint Julep Restaurant Operations, LLC, an independent restaurant company and franchisee of the casual dining chain Cheddar's Casual Café, will pay $450,000 to 15 individuals and furnish other relief to settle a sexual harassment lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the federal agency announced today.

Read the press release here.

Vail Condo Association Will Pay Over $1 Million to Settle EEOC National Origin Discrimination and Sexual Harassment Lawsuit

Management Company Ignored Complaints of Attempted Rape and Threats of Deportation, Then Fired Employees for Complaining, Federal Agency Charged

DENVER - Vail Run Community Resort Association, Inc., a condominium complex in Vail, Colo., and its management company, Global Hospitality Resorts, Inc., will pay $1,020,000 as part of the settlement of a sexual harassment, national origin discrimination and retaliation lawsuit brought by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the agency announced today.

Read the press release here.

Save-A-Lot Franchise Pays $125,000 to Settle EEOC Sexual Harassment Suit

Company Ignored Escalating Sexual Harassment and Sexual Assault of Female Cashier, Federal Agency Charged

GREENVILLE, Miss. - The Canton, Miss., franchise of Save-A-Lot Grocery operated by Potter and Sims Foods, Inc., a Kosciusko, Miss.-based grocery company, will pay a former employee $125,000 to settle a sexual harassment lawsuit brought by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the agency announced today.

Read the press release here.

Why Did the University of California Fire a Tenured Professor?

The University of California has fired just a handful of tenured professors since the late 1950s -- including one late last month. Details are still hazy, but those involved in the controversial case against a well-known professor of English at the Riverside campus are breaking their silence.

By By Colleen Flaherty, Inside Higher Ed

In an extremely rare move, the University of California System Board of Regents last month fired a tenured faculty member -- over alleged violations of the university's sexual harassment and drug and alcohol use policies. While the exact details of the professor’s transgressions are confidential for now, the case has spilled over into the public sphere. Rob Latham, former professor of English at the system’s Riverside campus, says shared governance and his academic freedom have been violated and that he intends to sue, while some of his former colleagues are defending the university’s decision.

Read the story here.

Chicago Professor Resigns Amid Sexual Misconduct Investigation

By Amy Harmon, New York Times

A prominent molecular biologist at the University of Chicago has resigned after a university recommendation that he be fired for violating the school’s sexual misconduct policy. His resignation comes amid calls for universities to be more transparent about sexual harassment in their science departments, where women account for only one-quarter of senior faculty jobs.

Read the story here.

Related content:

• When a Faculty Candidate Has Been Investigated for Harassment, What’s a Hiring Committee to Do? (The Chronicle of Higher Education - requires paid subscription)

2 Sexual-Harassment Cases Draw Renewed Attention to Gender Bias in Astronomy

By Andy Thomason, The Chronicle of Higher Education

Two newly publicized cases of sexual harassment have drawn renewed attention to gender discrimination in astronomy.

Read the story here.

Related content:

• Anonymous Astronomers Object Efforts to Name and Shame Harassers in the Field (Inside Higher Ed)

EEOC’S Lawsuit Against Costco to Proceed

Court Denies Warehouse Retailer's Attempts to Avoid Trial on Allegations Store Failed to Stop Customer from Stalking and Harassing Employee

CHICAGO - A federal district court judge ruled that the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's (EEOC) claim that Costco violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by failing to prevent a male customer from stalking and harassing a female employee at the company's Glenview, Ill. warehouse will be decided by a jury.

Read the story here.

Mayflower Seafood of Goldsboro, Inc. Sued By EEOC for Sexual Harassment and Retaliation

Female Employee Subjected to Unwanted Sexual Touching, Comments by Male Employees, Then Reduced Work Hours for Complaining About Harassment, Federal Agency Charges

RALEIGH, N.C. - Mayflower Seafood of Goldsboro, Inc., violated federal law by subjecting a female employee to a sexually hostile work environment and retaliating against her after she complained about the harassment and filed criminal charges against the harassers, the agency charged in a lawsuit filed today.

Read the press release here.

Female Laundry Workers Receive $582,000 in Settlement of EEOC Sexual Harassment Case

Victory for Latina Immigrant Workers Who Were Harassed by Supervisor

NEW YORK - Suffolk Laundry Services, Inc. will pay $582,000 to eight former employees to settle a sexual harassment lawsuit brought by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). The Southampton, N.Y.-based commercial laundry service also agreed to a four-year consent decree barring discrimination, instituting new procedures, and mandating training on sexual harassment to ensure that the kind of abuse that led to this lawsuit does not happen in the future.

Read the press release here.