Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Everdry finally pays Damages from 2006 Sexual Harassment Verdict

Thirteen women finally got paid for the damages they deserve after winning their sexual harassment lawsuit against Everdry Marketing and Management Inc. and Everdry Management Services Inc., which is also known as Everdry Waterproofing and Everdry of Rochester.

In 2006, a federal jury ruled that the 13 women, who were teenagers when why worked with Everdry as telemarketers, were subjected to a hostile working environment between 1998 and 2001.

According to EEOC, the harassment included physical and verbal harassment, requests for sex, grabbing and kissing; all of which were unwanted.

The women also filed complaints a number of times but the harassment never stopped.

The jury awarded the women $325,000 for lost income, pain and suffering and an additional $260,000 for punitive damages.

The Rochester location was also closed because of the lawsuit but has since reopened under new ownership in 2004.

The payment was delayed because Everdry brought it on the appeals court but finally, the 13 women are getting their due.

Under article VII of the Civil Rights Act, it is illegal to discriminate against employees based on their sex and gender.

Sexual harassment is a severe form of gender discrimination and should not be tolerated.

These causes negative effects to the victims such as emotional trauma, anxiety and deep depression.

It also affects work performance so employers are affected too.

That is why employers should have strong anti-discrimination policies in their companies.

This case should serve as a lesson to all companies that they should respect the right of their employees.