OAKLAND, Calif. (Legal Newsline) — The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) announced May 10 that Goodwill Industries and affiliate company Calidad Industries Inc. will pay $850,000 after allegations of sexual harassment and retaliation.
"The #MeToo movement illustrates that sexual harassment impacts people across industries, from white-collar to blue-collar work, across class, race, age, gender and abilities,” EEOC San Francisco district director William R. Tamayo said in a statement.
According to the EEOC, six female janitors assigned by the defendants to work night shifts at Oakland Federal Building were sexually harassed by a direct supervisor. The $850,000 will go to the six janitors as well as two managers who spoke in defense of the employees.
"The EEOC vigorously defends people like Lisa Short, the courageous supervisor who spoke out on behalf of her employees, as well as the individuals who are harassed,” EEOC San Francisco regional attorney Roberta Steele said in a statement. “Whether you are a target or a bystander, if you see harassment in the workplace, please take action now and call on the EEOC as a resource to end workplace abuse. And if you're an employer, know that EEOC offers technical assistance programs to prevent and remedy harassment."