EEOC settles with Murphy restaurant

North Georgia Foods, Inc., a Georgia-based company operating several Burger King restaurants (including one in Murphy, North Carolina), has agreed to pay $60,000 and provide other relief to settle a sexual harassment, retaliation, and pregnancy discrimination lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). The settlement was filed in court and was the subject of a press release by the EEOC.

Facts

The lawsuit was filed in March 2022. According to the EEOC’s complaint, from at least August 2018 through approximately July 2019, a team member at North Georgia Foods’ Murphy, North Carolina location was sexually harassed by a male assistant manager.

The alleged harassment included vulgar sexual comments, threatening behavior, and unwelcome sexual touching. According to the EEOC the team member complained multiple times and asked not to work alone with the male assistant manager. North Georgia Foods didn’t take action to stop the harassment but instead removed the team member from the schedule completely in June 2019.

The company refused to communicate with the team member and later refused to reinstate her employment. The EEOC also alleged the team member was discriminated against because of her pregnancy.

The suit was resolved by a two-year consent decree that prohibits North Georgia Foods from discriminating and retaliating against employees in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.