The popular restaurant chain, Red Robin International Inc. settled a sex discrimination lawsuit filed by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission for $600,000. The EEOC contends a 45-year-old male line cook sexually harassed female employees by making requests for sex, making unwanted remarks about their bodies, touching them without consent and leering at them. One of the female employees was an 18-year-old high school graduate. Although multiple reports were made to the managers, Red Robin did not take action to stop the harassment.
Employees have a right to a harassment-free environment
The EEOC believed that the alleged conduct of the male manager violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits sexual harassment in the workplace. In addition, when the employer did not intervene and take action to stop the harassment, it also violated Title VII. The EEOC attempted to reach a pre-litigation settlement with Red Robin before filing a lawsuit. Employers cannot retaliate against employees who make sexual harassment claims and must investigate each claim. EEOC Senior Trial Attorney May Che said, “employers must be held responsible when they fail in their responsibility to protect workers.”
Red Robin settles lawsuit
The court approved a 3-year consent decree that resolves the lawsuit. Red Robin will pay $600,000 to the four former employees who were harassed in the Everett, Washington restaurant. Red Robin will also hire a third party with expertise in sexual harassment to review policies, provide training to the 12 Washington stores, and to assist with investigations. Red Robin will implement new policies within its stores to hold managers and supervisors accountable to be EEO compliant.
Sexual harassment is unacceptable in the workplace. Elizabeth M. Cannon, director of the EEOC’s Seattle Field Office said, “Not only should employers strive to prevent harassment and discrimination, they must also protect workers who are brave enough to speak out against it when it occurs.”
Another good reminder to take sex discrimination and sexual harassment seriously in your business.
Dawn Brotherton is a Sr. Staff Writer at The American Genius with an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Central Oklahoma. She is an experienced business writer with over 10 years of experience in SEO and content creation. Since 2017, she has earned $60K+ in grant writing for a local community center, which assists disadvantaged adults in the area.
