Even with the rise of the #MeToo movement, sexual harassment and other employment violations continue to happen with a problematic regularity in San Jose and throughout California. For those whose lives and careers have been hindered and upended by employment law issues, it is important to understand what steps are available. A recent case against McDonald’s is an example of how these violations can be addressed.
Two women filed a lawsuit in Chicago alleging that they were sexually harassed at their McDonald’s workplace located in Florida. The women say they were subjected to inappropriate comments, unwanted touching and other illegal behaviors. They hope for a class-action case and are seeking $500 million. One woman still works for the company, and the other was terminated. These McDonald’s restaurants are corporate-owned, meaning they are not franchised to individual owners. There are more than 100 such locations in Florida.
In addition to pointing out the sexual harassment, the women say the company did not properly train its employees to educate them on what constitutes sexual harassment and how to avoid it. According to the plaintiffs, the alleged harassers were simply moved to another restaurant and were not punished. McDonald’s stated that it takes these accusations seriously and plans to investigate them as they arise. McDonald’s faced sexual harassment complaints from 2016 when the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission was informed that incidents were occurring.
People who are confronted by employment issues, especially against large corporations, are often unsure whether they will be taken seriously. It could be intimidating to complain about sexual harassment even though these cases are now treated with greater urgency than they were in the past. For advice and assistance, it may be helpful to discuss the situation with a law firm experienced in employment law.
