HARRISBURG, Pa. – Pro Pallet, LLC, a Pennsylvania-based construction company, will pay $50,000 and furnish other relief to settle a retaliation lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the federal agency announced today.
According to the EEOC’s lawsuit, a human resources manager received a complaint of sexual harassment against the general manager of the company. When the human resources manager began to investigate the complaint, Pro Pallet’s president and owner rebuked her for carrying out that duty, reassigned important responsibilities of her job to other employees and excluded her from company meetings, the EEOC alleged. As a result of these retaliatory actions by Pro Pallet, the human resources manager was compelled to resign her employment.
Such alleged conduct violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII), which prohibits retaliation against employees who oppose employment practices that they reasonably believe to be discriminatory, such as alleged sexual harassment. The EEOC filed suit (U.S. EEOC v. Pro Pallet, LLC, Civil Action No. 1:24-cv-01086) in U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania after first attempting to reach a pre-litigation settlement through the agency’s conciliation process.
In addition to Pro Pallet agreeing to pay $50,000 to the employee, the decree prohibits the company from retaliating against employees who oppose employment practices they reasonably believe to be discriminatory, including sexual harassment; requires the company to amend its policies on discrimination and retaliation; mandates Title VII training; and requires the company to report information to the EEOC concerning future complaints of discrimination and retaliation for a period of three years.
“The EEOC commends Pro Pallet for its cooperation in finding an appropriate resolution of this case,” said EEOC Regional Attorney Debra Lawrence. “This settlement provides fair compensation to the aggrieved employee and will benefit Pro Pallet and its workforce going forward. This case underscores the importance of maintaining workplaces free from retaliation, especially for human resources personnel tasked with protecting other workers from discrimination.”
EEOC Philadelphia District Director Jamie Williamson said, “Title VII prohibits discriminatory harassment and grants workers the right to oppose such harassment in the workplace without fear of reprisal by their employers. The EEOC is committed to ensuring that those who stand up to potential discrimination in the workplace are not silenced.”
For more information on retaliation, please visit https://www.eeoc.gov/retaliation. For more information on sexual harassment, please visit https://www.eeoc.gov/sexual-harassment.
The EEOC’s Philadelphia District Office has jurisdiction over Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, and parts of New Jersey and Ohio. Attorneys in the EEOC Philadelphia District Office also prosecute discrimination cases in Washington, D.C. and parts of Virginia.
The EEOC prevents and remedies unlawful employment discrimination and advances equal opportunity for all. More information is available at www.eeoc.gov. Stay connected with the latest EEOC news by subscribing to our email updates.
