Fourteen-year-old Reports Sexual Harassment and Assault at Kansas Fast Food Restaurant

A 14-year-old girl filed a job discrimination complaint with one of the EEOC's field offices a few years ago. This is the story the girl told our investigators.

Almost immediately after the girl was hired as a food service worker at a fast food restaurant in Wichita, Kansas, her store manager began to sexually harass her. The girl talked with co-workers about confronting the manager, but she was afraid to do so. A month later, the Store Manager insisted on driving the young girl home from work. He brought her to his house and sexually assaulted her. The Store Manager was arrested and pled guilty to a criminal charge. As a result, the manager was sentenced to eight years in prison.

Three other workers also claimed that they were harassed by the store manager. The employees said they did not know that the company had a policy which explained how to report the manager's behavior.

After investigating the girl's job discrimination complaint, the EEOC filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against the company. The company and the EEOC settled in December 2002. The terms of the settlement included:

• A payment of $150,000 to the employee;
• A requirement that the store write a letter of apology to the girl;
• A requirement that the store train all of its employees about sexual harassment; and
• A requirement that the store post signs explaining that workers have a right to a workplace free of sexual harassment.

• Sexual harassment that occurs off the worksite may be illegal?
• It is your employer's responsibility to inform you of the company's sexual harassment policy?