TURNED A BLIND EYE TO UNWANTED SEXUAL COMMENTS AND CONDUCT
The Chipotle store in Pratville, Alabama, apparently had some serious issues.
According to a lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), a male manager at that location “sexually harassed” an employee by engaging in “unwanted sexual advances, sexual comments and sexually offensive conduct, including sexual contact.”
The company is also alleged to have failed to take appropriate action in response to complaints.
Believing that such conduct was violative of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the EEOC filed civil litigation (EEOC v. Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc., and Chipotle Services, LLC, Case No. 2:22-cv-00326-MHT-SMD) in U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Alabama, seeking monetary damages and injunctive relief.
In addition to paying $50,000 to the impacted individual, the company has agreed to modify its employment related policies and practices and will provide appropriate in-person sexual harassment training to its employees, managers, and human resources personnel.
In a written statement,EEOC Birmingham district director Bradley Anderson, noted that, “In short, sexual harassment is illegal …. As we see in this instance, the failure to enforce anti-harassment policies can embolden sexual harassers, especially ones who are in a position of authority, and multiply the number of victims. The consent decree in this case provides the opportunity for Chipotle to develop a culture in its restaurants where employees can work free of sexual harassment.”
Who wouldn’t love a free Chipotle?
# # #