Bay Area residents probably check the weather each day so that they can be prepared for the day ahead. One of the most popular weather outlets is AccuWeather, which offers up-to-the-minute predictions on what to expect from Mother Nature. People probably don’t often consider the hard-working employees who do their best to provide such a handy service to the public, but recently, it was revealed that many of these employees admitted that they had been the victims of sexual harassment in the workplace.
The U.S. Labor Department launched an investigation against AccuWeather after more than a few employees, mostly female, reported that they had been sexually harassed at work. Many reported being touched in unwanted ways. Hugging, grabbing and even being kissed on the mouth were only a few of the offenses reported. The full and complete findings of the US Department of Labor may be found at https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/5838892-Labor-Department-OFCCP-Notification-of-Results.html#document/p2/a493843
After finishing its exhaustive investigation, The Department of Labor found that AccuWeather’s human resources department, and several members of the management team failed to promptly investigate allegations of sexual harassment and failed to take any effective action to prevent further harassment. Further, the Department of Labor found that several of the female employees had been subjected to retaliation, forcing them to resign. United States Department of Labor concluded as follows: “OFCCP’s investigation found widespread sexual harassment at Accuweather. Over two dozen witnesses spanning many different departments and in positions ranging from administrative support to senior management described unlawful sexual harassment that occurred at the company. This sexual harassment was so severe and pervasive, that some female employees resigned. Further, our investigation confirmed that AccuWeather was aware of the sexual harassment but took no action to correct the unlawful activity.”
Hard-working Bay Area employees deserve to feel safe and comfortable in the workplace. When a superior breaches this right, it may be frightening for an employee to report the sexual harassment, for fear of unfair repercussions. Sexual harassment is a serious matter. Reporting it can help keep others safe and stop an aggressor from committing further acts of harassment. Many victims choose to allow a compassionate attorney to help speak on his or her behalf, and bring a person guilty of sexual harassment to justice in a court of law.