Having to cope with unwanted sexual advances at work can make life extremely unpleasant, and employees nationwide, including in Florida, need not put up with it. A man who claims to be a victim of such harassment recently filed a federal lawsuit against a rescue mission in another state. The lawsuit alleges he was dismissed after repeatedly reporting sexual harassment.
The man, who was employed as a truck driver, was tasked with collecting donations at the warehouse of the rescue mission and then delivering them to the kitchen. The plaintiff alleges that sexual harassment by other workers started at the beginning of 2015. He claims that colleagues would make sexually offensive advances and comments. They also engaged in inappropriate touching of his body, and some went as far as putting their hands in his pants.
According to the lawsuit, a complaint filed with his supervisor was met with laughter and a refusal to take the report further. This led to the plaintiff reporting the matter to senior officials, who allegedly also ignored his complaints. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission reportedly investigated the allegations and determined that no violations of laws had taken place. When the plaintiff informed the company of his intention to file a lawsuit earlier this year, he was put on mandatory leave for one week before his employment was terminated.
Employers in Florida and elsewhere are prohibited from firing employees because they have reported employment law violations, such as sexual harassment. While every worker is entitled to pursue recovery of damages sustained after wrongful termination, such lawsuits may be best navigated by experienced employment law attorneys. After assessing the allegations, a seasoned lawyer can suggest the most appropriate strategy to pursue recovery of damages.
Source: cjonline.com, "Lawsuit filed by former Topeka Rescue Mission employee alleges sexual harassment", Samantha Foster, Sept. 28, 2016