Walmart to Pay $30,000 to Settle EEOC Sexual Harassment Suit

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Walmart Inc., a nationwide retailer of groceries and other goods, agreed to pay $30,000 and provide other relief to settle charges of sexual harassment in a lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the federal agency announced today.

According to the lawsuit, Walmart’s store in DeFuniak Springs, Florida failed to respond to complaints of sexual harassment made by a female employee who claimed a male Walmart employee made constant sexual comments about the woman’s body. The EEOC also charged that the male employee touched the female employee on a regular basis. After the female employee complained to multiple Walmart managers, the EEOC said, Walmart failed to discipline the harasser or take corrective action.

Such alleged conduct violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits an employer from permitting a hostile work environment based on sex and retaliating against those who complain about Title VII violations. The EEOC filed suit (EEOC v. Walmart Inc. and Wal-Mart Stores East, L.P, Case No. 3:21-cv-01051) in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida after first attempting to reach a pre-litigation settlement through its administrative conciliation process.

Under the terms of the consent decree settling the case, Walmart will also be required to distribute copies of its sexual harassment policies to all employees at the DeFuniak Springs store. Additionally, supervisors and managers at the store will be required to receive updated training on compliance with Title VII and prevention of sexual harassment in the workplace.

“Under federal law, employers must provide a workplace free from sexual harassment,” said EEOC Birmingham District Director Bradley Anderson. “Title VII requires companies to act quickly and seriously when their employees make complaints about sexual harassment or risk violating the law.”

Marsha Rucker, regional attorney for the EEOC’s Birmingham District, said, “Employers should foster an atmosphere where sexual harassment is not tolerated, including implementing policies that promote prompt reporting and contain express statements against retaliation. The EEOC will aggressively pursue remedies for victims of sexual harassment and retaliation in the workplace when employers fail to act after notice of such abuses.”

For more information on sexual harassment, please visit https://www.eeoc.gov/sexualharassment. For more information on retaliation, please visit https://www.eeoc.gov/retaliation.

The EEOC’s Birmingham District consists of Alabama, Mississippi (except 17 northern counties) and the Florida Panhandle.

The EEOC prevents and remedies unlawful employment discrimination and advances equal opportunity for all. More information is available at www.eeoc.gov. Stay connected with the latest EEOC news by subscribing to our email updates.