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Saipan nightclub settles sexual harassment suit
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Posted on Jun 18 1999
A nightclub owner has settled the sexual harassment suit filed in the federal court on Saipan by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) on behalf of five former waitresses of the establishment.
EEOC obtained a consent judgment of $350,000 from Moods and Music and The Colonel’s Place, both owned by Elizabeth Castaneda last June 11.
EEOC filed the lawsuit against Castaneda at the U.S. District Court in 1997.
EEOC said the five employees were recruited by Castaneda’s own manpower agency in the Philippines and came to Saipan expecting legitimate jobs as waitresses, but ended up being subjected to repeated sexual harassment by customers in private Karaoke VIP rooms.
EEOC alleged that Castaneda condoned the customers’ behavior.
Castaneda pled guilty to charges of transporting and aiding and abetting illegal sexual activity and is awaiting sentencing on the criminal case.
“Sexual harassment of employees by customers in bars will not be tolerated,” said William R. Tamayo, regional attorney in EEOC’s San Francisco District Office.
“Employers need to know that when an employee complains about customers’ sex harassment, the law requires the employer to take affirmative steps to remedy the problem. Employers must take measures to ensure sex harassment in the workplace is eliminated.” Tamayo added.
Susan McDuffie, San Francisco district director, said EEOC is “very pleased this case has been resolved by a judgment for the maximum monetary amount.”
“This is an egregious case where many nonresident immigrant waitresses were subjected to sexual harassment complained to management and had to run away from their employment to escape,” McDuffie said.(MCM)
