In September 2006, the EEOC district office in San Francisco, California brought this suit against First Watch Restaurant, Inc., a national restaurant franchise, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. The complaint alleged that the defendant violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 when it discriminated against female employees by maintaining a sexually hostile work environment where they were subjected to verbal and physical acts of sexual harassment. Two months after the initial complaint was filed, the parties consented to proceed before a magistrate judge and settled the case. A consent decree was entered in November 2006.

In the consent decree, the parties agreed that the defendant would refrain from retaliating and discriminating based on sex, pay the aggrieved women $230,000, distribute its anti-harassment policy, post an EEO notice, implement complaint procedures, provide all new managers and staff with EEO training, inform all its managers and supervisors of their duty to enforce policy, expunge complainants' employee records, and issue neutral references. No costs or fees were awarded. The terms of the decree run for two years.

Jason Chester - 08/01/2007


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