DENVER — The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has filed a lawsuit against a Colorado senior home health care company who allegedly subjected female employees to sexual harassment by a client's son.
The EEOC's suit, filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado, alleges JoyVida LLC DBA Amada Senior Care, violated Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act.
According to the EEOC, two female employees at Amada were allegedly subjected to unwelcome touching of their breasts and buttocks as well as derogatory sexual remarks by a client's son who also touched the women with his genitals. When the female employees complained, they continued to be assigned to that client and also had their work hours cut by the company, leading to a loss of income. Amada also fired one of the female employees with the other female employee being forced to resign.
"Workers in the caring professions, such as home care workers, are particularly vulnerable," EEOC Phoenix District Office regional attorney Mary Jo O'Neill said in a statement. "Employers have a legal obligation to adequately protect their employees from sexual harassment. When they fail to do so, the EEOC will take action on those employees' behalf."
The EEOC seeks back wages, compensatory and punitive damages, plus a permanent injunction enjoining Amada from further gender discriminatory practices.