Metro Employee suffers from Supervisor Sexual Harassment
Washington – Last month, Arlancia Williams, filed a sexual harassment lawsuit in U.S. District Court against Metro for subjecting her to sexual harassment, gender discrimination, and workplace retaliation. Williams worked in multiple divisions at Metro, as she worked towards attaining promotions for better positions. During her transition from one job to the next, Williams maintained a healthy work-life until sexual harassment invaded her workspace in December 2013.
In 2001, Williams joined the company as a bus operator and credit union worker. Throughout the years, several other positions Williams held include a station manager and a train operator. At the beginning of 2013, Williams was promoted to a bus service operations manager. Williams job duties included providing bus operators with supervision, accident and incident responses, and time management regarding arrivals and departures during the daytime rush hour.
After Williams started working, she began to experience some discomfort in the presence of her boss. Williams claims her boss would often request hugs from her and display anger when she would mention her husband who happens to be another employee at Metro. The lawsuit asserts Williams’ boss said “I’m getting tired of this husband and wife bulls***,” during an event that was held for a co-worker. Williams claims she used her sweater to save a seat for her husband, and that’s what triggered her boss’ vulgar remark.
Williams said the sexual harassment made her feel sick. She felt like her rejection was straightforward and firm, however, her boss allegedly continued to sexually harass her. Other women informed Williams that her boss actions seem to run in a cycle. The women informed Williams that they shared a similar sexual harassment experience with her.
When Williams arrived, she indirectly alleviated their intolerable predicaments considering their boss no longer wanted them. He preferred to have a new employee. In the event that an employee finds him/her self-trapped in a cycle of sexual harassment, seek a sexual harassment lawyer for legal assistance.
Metro Employee reports Sexual Harassment to Management
Dana Baker, Metro managing director, received information regarding Williams’ sexual harassment experience. Baker expressed care and concern for the female employee then instructed her to start reporting to another supervisor. She also assured Williams that she would not be penalized for her sexual harassment report. Immediately following the meeting Williams had with Baker, the accused boss called her in uproar stating, “No! You ain’t talking to nobody, woman!” and “You don’t talk to nobody else but me!” according to the sexual harassment lawsuit.
Williams alleged that she received several other angry calls from her boss. As time passed, sexual harassment and verbal abuse began to affect Williams’ work life. According to Williams, she “began to feel distressed about returning to work.” The discomfort at work led Williams to file a sexual harassment complaint with one of Metro’s superintendents. As a result of filing a sexual harassment complaint, Williams was transferred to a “less desirable” shift, which prevented her from receiving offers for overtime shifts.
An employee’s work routine should not have to be altered in order to be free from a work environment involving sexual harassment. In addition to sexual harassment, Williams received a threat stating, “she would never see her husband again.” Williams reported her concerns to Baker again. This time the sexual harassment lawsuit asserts, Baker said: “Since you can’t work under the stress from being harassed, maybe this isn’t the job for you.” The suit also alleged that Baker told Williams “Maybe I need to find someone to take your place.”
Williams argues that every job at Metro requires the employees to work under pressure. She claims working under pressure is not her workplace issue, it’s simply supervisor sexual harassment. Baker’s response to her sexual harassment claim upset Williams. She expressed that she invested a great deal of trust into Metro, and expected them to find a solution to her work-related issue after she filed a sexual harassment complaint. The sexual harassment lawyer representing Williams reiterated that Metro received notice of the internal issue regarding sexual harassment, and “failed to implement prompt, appropriate or corrective action.”
Metro Employee’s Side Effects of Sexual Harassment
The entire sexual harassment experience left Williams feeling various emotions including embarrassment and humiliation in addition to “physical side effects” such as anxiety and stress from “incurred loss wages, loss of reputation and loss of career opportunity, now and into the future.” Williams claims she sacrificed all her accomplishments and returned to one of her former positions because “it doesn’t matter.” Williams said “Coming to work, showing up, doing your job – it’s just not good enough.” Williams is seeking $200k in monetary damages, a new plan for compliance with anti-discrimination policies, and managerial training according to EEOC requirements.
Although Metro refrained from commenting on the pending litigation, a Metro representative confirmed that the company “has a clear policy against sexual harassment.” The representative further explained that sexual harassment complaints are scrutinized and taken seriously. In the event that disciplinary action is required, Metro claims they will take action. Due to the sexual harassment lawsuit, Metro recently released a memo to all employees reminding them of the zero tolerance policy for sexual harassment and discrimination amongst other related policies, and “prohibition against retaliation” at work. Metro is currently experiencing a variety of internal issues that need to be rectified.
Sexual Harassment Lawyer
If you have ever experienced sexual harassment in the transportation industry, contact us at 800-807-2209 for a free consultation. Our sexual harassment lawyers are thoroughly skilled in their field of employment law and ready to provide the best legal service and representation in the tri-state area.
