Here's the link to the last big Az DOC sexual harassment settlement...
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Department of Justice
Office of Public Affairs
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Justice Department Settles with Arizona Department of Corrections Resolving Sexual Harassment Allegations
WASHINGTON - The Justice Department announced today that it has entered
into a consent decree with the Arizona Department of Corrections (ADC)
that, if approved by the U.S. District Court for the District of
Arizona, will resolve allegations that the ADC discriminated against a
female employee, based upon her sex, in violation of Title VII of the
Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended.
The department’s complaint, filed today along with the consent decree, alleges that Susan Peterson, a female correctional officer at the Arizona State Prison Complex in Tucson, Ariz., was regularly subjected to verbal and physical sexual harassment by several of her male supervisors and coworkers from early 2005 through November 2008. That conduct included unwelcome grabbing, touching, hugging and kissing, as well as exposure to sexually explicit comments and pornography. The complaint alleges that despite Peterson’s timely and repeated complaints to ADC management about the harassment over a nearly three year period, ADC did not investigate her complaints or take any corrective action until November 2008. The department’s complaint was based on a charge of discrimination filed by Peterson with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) that was forwarded to the department by the EEOC’s Phoenix District Office.
Under the terms of the consent decree, which must still be approved by the federal district court, ADC is required to review and revise its sexual harassment policies to protect its employees from sexual harassment and must provide training on equal employment opportunity law and its sexual harassment policies to all employees at its Tucson complex. The consent decree also requires the ADC to pay Peterson a monetary award of $182,500.
“All Americans are guaranteed the right to work in an environment free from unlawful harassment and retaliation,” said Thomas E. Perez, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division. “The department is pleased that we were able to work cooperatively with the Arizona Department of Corrections to resolve this matter without the need for contested litigation.”
The enforcement of Title VII is a priority of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. Additional information about the Civil Rights Division is available at www.justice.gov/crt/ and www.justice.gov/crt/emp/.
The department’s complaint, filed today along with the consent decree, alleges that Susan Peterson, a female correctional officer at the Arizona State Prison Complex in Tucson, Ariz., was regularly subjected to verbal and physical sexual harassment by several of her male supervisors and coworkers from early 2005 through November 2008. That conduct included unwelcome grabbing, touching, hugging and kissing, as well as exposure to sexually explicit comments and pornography. The complaint alleges that despite Peterson’s timely and repeated complaints to ADC management about the harassment over a nearly three year period, ADC did not investigate her complaints or take any corrective action until November 2008. The department’s complaint was based on a charge of discrimination filed by Peterson with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) that was forwarded to the department by the EEOC’s Phoenix District Office.
Under the terms of the consent decree, which must still be approved by the federal district court, ADC is required to review and revise its sexual harassment policies to protect its employees from sexual harassment and must provide training on equal employment opportunity law and its sexual harassment policies to all employees at its Tucson complex. The consent decree also requires the ADC to pay Peterson a monetary award of $182,500.
“All Americans are guaranteed the right to work in an environment free from unlawful harassment and retaliation,” said Thomas E. Perez, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division. “The department is pleased that we were able to work cooperatively with the Arizona Department of Corrections to resolve this matter without the need for contested litigation.”
The enforcement of Title VII is a priority of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. Additional information about the Civil Rights Division is available at www.justice.gov/crt/ and www.justice.gov/crt/emp/.
I too have entered a lawsuit regarding sexual harrassment and intimidation at CACF a private prison owned by GEO. I was contacted by the states attorney and there are many involved. I too continually got harrassed by co-workers (male) that never ended the sexual harrassment. even though the Sgts and Lt's knew about it. They never lost their jobs. in fact a few were moved to the next door prison owned by the same company. kindof like the Catholic church they moved the Priests. It is now going into deposition phase. and hopefully ending real soon. my first allegation was handled by HR who didn't do anything but move the male officer to next door, after that, I never felt safe to go to HR for anything. I heard through one of the Lt's they destroyed all of the paperwork. there are now 31 women who have come forward for this lawsuit.
ReplyDeleteHello, their is a lawsuit going on, wich started with the facillity neext door. You do have to worry about retaliation, constantlly.
ReplyDeleteTheir are things that have been swept up. However, their is enough evidence that this will win in a trial.
I hope it goes to trial, we have waited long enough, we may as well wait longer.
The poor woman who started the case was kicked out of her job, because she reported the harassment.
Why kick the person who is down?
Why did they get angry with her for standing up for herself?
This is B.S.
I have been retailiated against, this woman has been retaliated against, along with SEVERAL other classmembers.
They are loosing their jobs, one in wich lost her home, because she spoke up.
Let it go to trial. Whats a little more time? I think it needs to, I think the people who suffered need justice.
We are constantlly watching our backs, in work and in public. We have to watch our p's and q's.
Why? Because we were speaking up for harassment.
You should not have to perform oral sex because you want to keep your job, or get a better post, you should not have to be subjected to a** pattings, and lewd comments all day.
I have seen, time in, and time out, if someone speaks up for themself their, they get looked down on.
I do not hope it is over, let them go to court.
Geo cannot really believe that all these women are lying about this, but they still let their lawyers play the time game, and step on people such as the woman who started this lawsuit.
They stepped on her, refused to compenste her, and allowed her to loose her home.
What happened in one of her depositions? They pulled out her past, they did everything but talk about the case, and tried to make her look bad.
This case goes beyond nasty, and I refuse to post the details. This case is discusting, and an outrage.