Dollar General Sued by EEOC for Sexual Harassment and Retaliation

Tennessee-Based Corporation Allowed a Manager to Sexually Harass a Female Employee, Then Fired Her for Reporting the Abuse, Federal Agency Charges

ATLANTA - Dolgencorp, LLC. dba Dollar General, violated federal law by subjecting a female employee to repeated acts of sexual harassment on a daily basis and then firing her after she reported it, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) charged in a lawsuit it recently filed.

According to the EEOC's lawsuit, Laveta Crawford was subjected to a barrage of lewd comments and gestures on a daily basis by a male assistant store manager at its Jonesboro, Ga., location.  Although she complained, the harassment continued.  Crawford then filed a discrimination charge with the EEOC and attempted to transfer to a different store to avoid further harassment.  However, within a week after the EEOC mailed the discrimination charge to Dollar General, the company fired Crawford.

Sexual harassment and retaliation for reporting it violate Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The EEOC filed its suit after first attempting to reach a voluntary settlement with the employer through its pre-litigation process. The federal agency seeks back pay, compensatory and punitive damages for Ms. Crawford, as well as injunctive relief designed to prevent such harassment and retaliation by the store in the future.

"No employee should have to endure harassment, especially on a daily basis," said Bernice Williams Kimbrough, district director for the EEOC's Atlanta District Office.  "Employers have an obligation to address and prevent sexual harassment, and to support, not further victimize, employees who complain about such misconduct."

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