On Wednesday, October 15th, fifteen employees from the world’s largest burger chain, McDonald’s, filed charges with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, on behalf of the victims by the Fight for $15 movement, alleging they were all victims of sexual harassment while on the job, in as many as 8 states, including Illinois.
From being verbally and physically assaulted, to hostile work environments, these cases all prove that sexual harassment is sadly a common problem today in workplaces all over the country.
In one complaint filed by Kristi Maisenbach, a former McDonald’s worker in California, she alleges that her supervisor “grabbed (her) breasts on several occasions” and rubbed up against her, then becoming “hostile” when she complained to a general manager about the incidents. As a result, Maisenbach says that her hours were cut, which due to the situation, she was led to quit.
In a separate situation in Michigan, Cycei Monae said she was verbally and physically assaulted by her supervisor daily. She had reported the incidents to her manager, as well as to another corporate official at McDonald’s, but made the decision to quit her job after she said, “nothing was done.”
According to McDonald’s, they state that, “There is no place for harassment and discrimination of any kind in McDonald’s restaurants or in any workplace. We take any concerns seriously and are reviewing the allegations.”
And while sexual harassment should never be tolerated in any workplace, these cases do occur. This is why it is important to recognize what actions or words constitutes as harassment, sexual or otherwise, as well as how to report it. When in doubt, be sure to contact an experienced sexual harassment attorney as soon as possible.
Maduff & Maduff have been practicing employment law for more than 20 years, specializing in sexual harassment, wage and hour issues, as well as discrimination. Contact us for more information and help with your workplace issues today.