EEOC Settles Sexual Harassment Suit With Dollar General for $50,000

GREENSBORO, N.C. – Dolgencorp, LLC, doing business as Dollar General, will pay $50,000 to three former female employees and provide other relief to settle a sexual harassment lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the agency announced today.

The EEOC charged in its suit (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission v. Dolgencorp, LLC, d/b/a Dollar General, Civ. No. 1:09cv00700), filed in U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina, that from at least February 2005 through at least May 2006, Amanda Strickland, Maria Strickland and Tina Baxley were subjected to a sexually hostile work environment while employed at Dollar General stores in Greensboro and Pleasant Garden, N.C. The EEOC alleged that the women were sexually harassed by a male Dollar General store manager. The alleged sexual harassment included offensive sexual comments, requests for sex and unwelcome touching of the women's breasts and buttocks. According to the EEOC's complaint, the women complained about the sexual harassment to managers within the company, but the harassment continued.

In addition to the monetary relief, the terms of the consent decree resolving the case include provisions for Dollar General to post a copy of its anti-harassment policy in all of its stores in the region where the alleged harassment took place in a place where it is visible to employees, and to provide annual training to all of its store managers and assistant store managers in the region. The training will include an explanation of the requirements of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Dollar General's anti-discrimination and harassment policy and its prohibition against retaliation. Finally, Dollar General agrees to report any future complaints of sexual harassment to the EEOC during the term of the two-year Consent Decree.

"We are pleased that this settlement provides training to managers and supervisors about Title VII's requirements against discrimination and harassment," said Lynette A. Barnes, regional attorney of the EEOC's Charlotte District Office. "Employees should be able to work in an environment free from sexual harassment. Training managers and supervisors about sexual harassment is one way to help prevent sexual harassment claims in the workplace."

The EEOC enforces federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination. Further information about the EEOC is available on its web site at www.eeoc.gov.