How Two Companies Paid a Hefty Price for Sexual Harassment and Retaliation at Work

Sexual harassment and retaliation are serious issues that can affect anyone in the workplace, regardless of their gender, race, or position. Unfortunately, some employers fail to take appropriate action to prevent or stop such behavior, and end up facing legal consequences.

That’s what happened to Mueller Co. LLC and IH Services, Inc., two companies that recently agreed to pay $150,000 and provide other relief to settle a lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).

What Did They Do Wrong?

Mueller Co. is a nationwide manufacturer and seller of gas and water distribution products, and IH Services is a company that provides cleaning services in Mueller facilities. According to the EEOC, IH Services assigned three female janitors to work at Mueller’s fire hydrant manufacturing plant in Albertville, Alabama.

There, they faced constant sexual harassment from several male Mueller employees, who solicited them for sex, exposed their genitals, and made vulgar comments about their bodies and sex lives. One of them even tried to rape one of the female janitors.

The women reported the harassment to multiple IH Services and Mueller managers, but instead of addressing the problem, IH Services retaliated against two of them by cutting their hours, making them work overnight shifts, and suspending or firing them.

How Did They Violate the Law?

The EEOC sued both companies for violating Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits employers from allowing a hostile work environment based on sex and retaliating against employees who complain about it.

The EEOC’s Birmingham District office conducted an investigation and tried to reach a settlement with the companies, but they failed to cooperate. The EEOC then filed a suit in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama.

What Did They Agree to Do?

After a lengthy legal battle, the companies agreed to pay $150,000 to the victims and provide other relief to settle the case. Under a three-year consent decree, they also agreed to:

• Review and revise their sexual harassment and retaliation policies and make them accessible to all employees.
• Provide annual training on their policies and employees’ rights under Title VII to both managers and non-supervisory staff.
• Report any complaints of sexual harassment or retaliation to the EEOC and cooperate with its monitoring.

What Can We Learn from This Case?

This case shows that sexual harassment and retaliation are not only harmful to the victims, but also costly and damaging to the employers. It also shows that the EEOC is committed to enforcing the law and protecting workers’ rights, even when the harassers are not employed by the same company as the victims.