McDonald’s Restaurants sued by EEOC for Sexual Harassment of young Workers

AMTCR is a franchise owner of 22 McDonald’s fast food restaurants operating in Nevada, Arizona and California.  Their headquartered in Kingman, Arizona.   According to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) they violated federal law by allowing male and female workers to be subjected to sexual harassment.

The harassment chargers mainly focused on young, teenage employees and included frequent unwanted groping and touching, offensive comments and gestures regarding male genitalia, sexual ridicule, insults, intimidation and unwelcome sexual advances.    The AMTCR was aware of the harassment by supervisors, managers and coworkers at various McDonald’s throughout the tri-state area since 2017.  The EEOC states that AMTCR did not adequately respond to multiple complaints of sexual harassment, instead ignoring and downplaying the complaints.   As a result, many of the workers eventually quit due to the working conditions and indifference by the franchise owner’s.

These actions violate Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.  EEOC filed its suit against the company in U.S. District Court for Nevada (EEOC v. AMTCR, Inc., et. al., Case No: 2:21-cv-01808), after first attempting to reach a pre-litigation settlement through its conciliation process.

The suit seeks back wages, out of pocket costs, and compensatory and punitive damages for a class of employees, as well as injunctive relief intended to prevent further sexual harassment by the company.   The Commission’s Strategic Enforcement Plan (SEP) prioritizes protecting young vulnerable workers against severe or egregious sexual harassment and retaliation.