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Compliance July 19, 2006
Calif. Newspaper Settles Sexual Harassment Case for $150,000
July 19, 2006 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - The San Jose
Mercury News will pay $150,000 to settle a sexual harassment
case brought by a former mail room worker who claimed his
supervisor of eight months subjected him to unwelcomed sexual
comments and inappropriate touching.
Reported by Adrien Martin
Mark Newton, who was a mail room worker, said his supervisor sexually harassed him in October 2002. He claimed that he appealed to another supervisor, who ignored the claims, the Mercury News reported.
According to Equal Employment Opportunity Commission attorney William Tamayo, the sexual harassment only stopped when Newton complained to upper management and the accused supervisor was reprimanded, according to the newspaper.
The newspaper did not admit wrongdoing but said it would reissue its sexual harassment policy and provide additional training to mail room employees.
Newton contacted the EEOC, which filed the civil case against the newspaper in December 2003.“I am probably the last person you would expect to find seeking help from the EEOC – a middle-aged white male, married with children. The harassment I faced at work is something no one should have to go through,” Newton said in a statement that the EEOC released and the newspaper reported.
The Mercury News’ Vice President of Human Resources Kathleen Slattery said, “We’ve investigated it, dealt with it appropriately and the matter is resolved,” according to the paper.