SEXUAL HARASSMENT: EEOC Files Sexual Harassment Charges against Animal Health Products Distributor

February 23, 2011

Sioux Falls, South Dakota – An animal health products company based in South Dakota is now facing a sexual harassment suit filed by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) after it allowed a male employee to sexually harass its female employees.

According to the suit, which was announced Tuesday, an employee of Vet Pharm, Inc. made sexually-explicit jokes and comments that humiliated its female employees between 2007 and 2008.

The harassed employees complained to the company’s management, but it did not take any action to stop the harasser from taking actions that were so adverse that a victim was forced to quit the job.

According to EEOC’s regional attorney John Hendrickson, it appears that the management of Vet Pharm, Inc. was aware of the actions of their male employee, but refused to take punitive actions. He said EEOC will first attempt to have a pre-litigation settlement with the company before moving on to continue with the litigation process.