Michigan City Indiana Restaurant to Pay $20,000 to Settle Second EEOC Sexual Harassment Suit
Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Dinos Restaurant Allowed Male Co-Worker to Abuse Female Employee, Federal Agency Charged 

December 20, 2012, SOUTH BEND, IND. - A Michigan City, Ind., restaurant will pay $20,000 to settle a second sexual harassment lawsuit brought by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the agency announced on December 20, 2012.

The EEOC charged in its suit (Case No. 3:11-cv-0306-TLS-CAN in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana, South Bend Division) that the restaurant owner, Faros, Inc., violated federal law when it failed to respond to complaints that a male server sexually harassed a female coworker for over several months including, sexual innuendo and propositions that escalated to unwanted touching at least twice.  The EEOC further charged that Faros, Inc. retaliated against the harassed employee by reducing her wages after she complained.

Such alleged conduct violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.  The EEOC filed suit after first attempting to reach a pre-litigation settlement through its conciliation process. 

In addition to monetary settlement, the consent decree, which will remain in effect until September 2016, requires Faros, Inc. to comply with prohibitions against further discrimination and retaliation, and continue the policy, training and posting obligations mandated by the Consent Decree which resolved the EEOC's first sexual harassment lawsuit against Faros, Inc. (Case No. 3:10-cv-00407-RL-CAN). 

"There is no excuse for permitting employees to touch, proposition or barrage their coworkers with offensive sexual statements at work," said EEOC Regional Attorney Laurie Young.  "Employers must make eradicating such conduct from their work places a priority."  

The EEOC is responsible for enforcing federal laws prohibiting discrimination in employment.  Further information about the EEOC is available on its web site at: www.eeoc.gov. 

 

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