SELAH, Wash. (AP) — A fruit company in central Washington is accused in a federal lawsuit of discriminating against an worker based on her sex, and retaliating against her and her husband.
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission alleges within the lawsuit filed last month in U.S. District Court that a Monson Fruit production manager made unwanted advances and sexually harassed an worker between June and September 2019, The Yakima Herald-Republic reported.
Monson Fruit Co. is a family-owned fruit packer, grower and shipper based in Selah, Washington.
Monson officials declined to comment to the newspaper.
Based on the lawsuit, the production manager made unwanted advances and sexual comments to the employee, and offered advantages and money in exchange for sex.
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When the incidents were reported, the behavior didn’t change and the corporate didn’t take motion, based on the lawsuit. When the girl transferred to avoid the manager, he fired her husband, who also worked at the ability, the criticism said.
The production manager also failed to supply job modifications offered to other pregnant employees when the girl became pregnant, and he or she was forced to quit because Monson didn’t stop the harassment, based on the lawsuit.
“Sexual harassment and retaliation throughout the farmworker community is a pervasive problem,” EEOC Senior Trial Attorney Teri Healy said an announcement. “The EEOC will vigorously prosecute employers who refuse to guard their employees.”
The lawsuit is in search of lost wages, monetary damages including compensation for emotional distress, punitive damages, and training on handling sexual harassment within the workplace.
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