The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has accused a high-end steakhouse in New York City of ignoring sexual harassment complaints for years. The restaurant will be paying nearly two dozen male waiters $600,000, conducting anti-discrimination training and establishing an anonymous hotline for reporting discrimination as a result of the actions of a male manager. Over the course of years, the federal lawsuit argues, the manager was groping employees and making "lewd comments," which the management ignored.
According to the lawsuit, some victims of the harassment were retaliated against by management for coming forward. They were given more difficult work assignments or facing suspension as a result of their honesty and seeking justice for the assaults they underwent. The role of management is to protect and ensure the health and welfare of their employees, but this case alleges that they were covering up the harassing actions of a member of the staff.
Sexual harassment in the workplace is a serious problem that can be facecd in any job and by any employee. In the past 15 years, sexual harassment claims by men have increased from 11.6 percent in 1997 to 16.3 percent in 2011.
Harassment and retaliation in the workplace ought to be a serious concern for all employees and employers, regardless of industry. It can be very difficult for people who are harassed at work to come forward out of fear of retaliation, but an attorney can assist in the process and help to prevent the issue from being covered up, ending the cycle and ensuring that the harassing person is unable to continue in their practices