It might come as a surprise to many in California that various forms of harassment in the workplace are still an ongoing issue. To those who are subjected to it, it is no surprise whatsoever. Knowing what to do in such a circumstance might sound like a simple matter of reporting it to the proper authorities, but that does not always work and it is sometimes necessary to think about a legal claim for discrimination at work or for other allegations of mistreatment. Everyone has the right to fair treatment at work and in some instances, a legal filing is the only way to achieve that.
Two workers at a FedEx Ground terminal have alleged that they were harassed for a multitude of reasons by their managers, and this led to a problematic work situation. The men had been promoted from lower-level jobs before the alleged harassment started. One was a baggage handler when he started; the other was a package handler. They claim that two senior managers were harassing them. The former baggage handler, who started at FedEx in 1999, was dismissed in 2015 in what he believes was a retaliatory act. The accusations have been denied.
The parties attempted to mediate the dispute, but were unable to reach a settlement. The man who was fired claims that he is still suffering from wage loss. The other man is still working at the facility and says that he continues to be retaliated against. The men, described as Mexican American, are saying that they faced race discrimination, harassment and retaliation. They were referred to by homophobic slurs and statements about their national origin. The lawsuit also alleges that was one of the workers was the victim of inappropriate touching by one of the senior managers. After complaining, one man was fired and the other continued to endure the treatment in spite of complaining.
In cases such as this, it can be traumatic to come to the realization that employee rights are being violated and the discrimination will not stop when citing the law and seeking assistance from the employer. Those who are confronted with similar treatment need to make certain that they understand their rights to seek compensation. An attorney who is familiar with these types of cases can help victims of employer harassment and discrimination.
Source: mercurynews.com, “Two men sue, allege sexual harassment at FedEx Watsonville,” Jondi Gumz, Aug. 18, 2016