Bank settles sexual harassment suit

On Behalf of | Feb 13, 2014 | Sexual Harassment

There is no room for sexual harassment in California workplaces. When employers allow employees to suffer from sexual harassment, no one wins. Often unwanted sexual comments, jokes, drawings or actions can create a hostile work environment that makes it difficult for employees to return to.

Even if the harassment doesn’t escalate to physical touching, California employees do not need to put up with that sort of behavior. Through a lawsuit, employees can ensure that the harassment ends and that they are compensated for the damages that they have suffered.

Recently, 16 female employees of the bank giant JPMorgan Chase & Co. will receive $1.5 million to compensate them for sexual harassment they suffered while working as mortgage bankers. According to the women, the supervisory staff at one of the bank’s offices allowed sexually explicit behavior in the workplace. This included comments to female employees and a generally sexually charged environment.

The women claimed that if they disagreed with the sexually explicit behavior then they would be punished. Those women would not be privy to certain benefits within the workplace and would be left out of valuable sales calls, as well as ostracized within the department. All in all, the women claimed that a hostile work environment was created.

In addition to the money, the company also released a statement against sexual harassment in the workplace.

California employees should see this case as an example of how employees can fight back against sexual harassment in the workplace. If workers are subject to unwanted sexual advances or a hostile work environment, then those workers should assert their rights to stop the illegal behavior.

Source: New York Post, “JPMorgan pays $1.5M for sexual harassment lawsuit,” Feb. 5, 2014

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