EMPLOYMENT LAW: EEOC Files Sexual Harassment Suit against Fred Meyer Stores Inc.

July 13,2011

Portland- The US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against Fred Meyers Stores, Inc. on Wednesday.

According to EEOC reports, Fred Meyer’s Oak Grove-Milwaukie managers failed to correct the repetitive sexual harassment conduct of a regular customer towards female employees. The supervisors ignored them when they complained that the customer would sit near the bundy clock, pull them on top of his lap, and touch their private parts.

The managers said the complaints were not actionable unless they witnessed the sexual assault, claimed the employees.

The supervisors went on describing their reports as rumors. The women then reported the management’s misconduct to EEOC.

The federal agency filed the lawsuit at US District Court in Oregon.EEOC seeks for monetary damages on behalf of the aggrieved employees. In addition, it also wants the company to comply with anti-sexual harassment regulations.

Fred Meyer's Oak Grove store in Milwaukie is a branch of Fred Meyer Stores, Inc. The nationwide hypermarket employs more than 30,000 in Oregon and has more than $ 1 billion in sales each year.