I worked at Friends Bar & Grill in Concordia, Kansas for about 8 months. During the time that I was employed, I was subject to a hostile work environment by the two owners of the business, Tim and Eric Cook, based upon my gender (female).
I was denied promotions based upon my gender. I was retaliated against based upon my complaints to management about the hostile work environment and discrimination. I was terminated for alleged misconduct when male employees who engaged in misconduct and then were not disciplined.
Many other young women were subjected to this same hostile work environment and sexual harassment. There continues to be a problem with this and the current employees.
I have filed with the EEOC & the KHRD. EEOC is the first agency to deal with this before it goes to KHRD. Currently, EEOC has the case under investigation, since after the business originally agreed to mediate, they failed to even show up for the mediation, and have since refused to reply to any further communication regarding the mediation and settlement.
Some specific details about the happenings at Friends Bar & Grill:
I felt an instant invasion of privacy because of Tim's conduct. I became scared, intimidated, and angry, confused, and could not concentrate on my work because I feared Tim, his temperament, and what would happen if I continued to confront him. I had emotional distress due to daily sexual insults, sexual assault & battery (touching, groping, & fondling), the intentional infliction of emotional distress, and continuance of a hostile work environment.
The business took no action nor did they even enter the complaints in our files; but instead ignored and dismissed the complaints; and then continued in the severe and persistent conduct creating an intimidating, hostile, & offensive work environment. There was (and still is currently) a failure to take steps to correct the problem when complaints where brought up.
I personally experienced an intentional visual display of pornographic material, unwelcome nonverbal sexual conduct (leering up & down my and others' bodies, sexually suggestive looks, making derogatory and sexual gestures with his hands and/or mouth), uninvited and unwanted sexually verbal conduct (making crude and suggestive comments, making constant sexual innuendos and numerous sexual jokes, and demeaning comments about certain explicit parts of our bodies), verbal harassment such as using words like "b*tch, fat *ss, dumb waitresses, slut, stupid women, whore", unwanted sexually physical conduct (such as deliberately blocking our movements, leaning across us, inappropriately touching our body and clothing, hugging, stroking our necks and hair, massaging our shoulders, "accidentally" brushing against us, patting, slapping our butts, throwing his arms around our shoulders or hips when he stood between us, and worse of all, pressing himself [his entire front, from head to legs] tightly against my back when I was standing at a counter or sink).
I also suffered a loss of professional reputation/standing and injury to my personal character after the false accusations of using "coke". Everyday I was being screamed at, belittled, and humiliated. These things were very hard emotionally when I had done this type of work for a long time (I had 6 years prior experience as a restraunt assistant manager), been very dedicated, and done a very good job. I (as a female) was conspired against to prevent my advancement, and then mocked about it, because of my sex.
After bringing forth complaints, I was questioned about my ability to adequately perform my job due to my sex by Eric and Tim. Anytime that I complained, they considered I was the problem, rather than the actual problem of me being sexually harassed and sexually discriminated against. This gave rise to not only my loss of self-esteem, but also my loss of good health.
Because of all of this, I frequently suffered migraines from the stress of constantly working in such an environment. The migraines became so intense and numerous that I not only had to seek medical care (sometimes in the Emergency Room), but prescription drugs and professional chiropractic care on a regular basis throughout the duration of my employment. All of my doctors have written separate individual statements to support this, as well as statements from my pharmacy.
All of these abusive practices continued throughout my employment, despite insistence that it stop to both Tim and Eric numerous times. Other waitresses also came to me; at different times throughout my employment; telling me about the same types of harassment and suffering they were experiencing at the hands of Tim & Eric.
The company fostered a hostile work environment when it failed to listen or respond to my complaints of harassment and discrimination, and then punished me for them. The management above me refused to provide me with any protection, and then suddenly started being overly critical of my efforts, in a way that was simply unfair.
I was shunned and excluded from meetings between the other cooks (all males) and themselves, and given less desirable & harder labor assignments than the males were. Other male cooks were also taken out of town on trips to see baseball games, go gambling, ECT. On numerous occasions.
The failure to investigate gives tacit support to the discrimination because the absence of sanctions encourages such abusive behavior. The employer violated Title VII by failing to investigate and correct sexual harassment despite notice of its frequent happenings.
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