From Arizona Republic, Aug. 3, 2010. Incredible!
Love's Travel Stops & Country Stores, Inc. will pay $70,000 to two former cashiers who say that they endured crude remarks and other sexual harassment from customers at Love's truck stop in Buckeye.
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filed a 2007 lawsuit on behalf of the workers, who were 18 and 20 at the time they began working at Love's in 2005.
The workers complained that customers often engaged in crass and sexually tinged behavior. Among other things, Love's patrons made inappropriate remarks, made sexual demands and innuendos and touched the cashiers' hands in a sexual manner.
The EEOC argued that Love's officials tolerated the behavior, failed to take reasonable steps stop the harassment and told the workers to "deal with it."
In addition the monetary settlement, Love's agreed to investigate allegations of sexual harassment, to train supervisors to conduct harassment investigations and to post a warning that harassment of Love's workers won't be tolerated.
On Tuesday, a Love's spokeswoman said that the firm disagrees with the lawsuit's allegations.
"We settled this case strictly for business reasons, and we remain committed to ensuring our nearly 8,000 employees across the country work in an environment free from harassment of any kind," said Christina Dukeman, communications manager.
"This settlement agreement sends a message to Love's and other companies that they must promptly address the harassment of employees by their customers," said Mary Jo O'Neill EEOC regional attorney of the Phoenix District Office.
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