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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 10, 2024
Phone Retailer to Pay $107,916 in EEOC Sexual Harassment Lawsuit
Settles Federal Lawsuit for Teen Employee Who Faced Sexual Assault by Manager
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Former cellular phone retailer Wireless World LLC, doing business as Experts Choice, will pay $107,916 to settle a sexual harassment lawsuit against its predecessor Elite Wireless Group, Inc., the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) announced today.
According to the EEOC’s complaint, a teenage female store employee of Elite Wireless faced sexual harassment, including repeated unwelcome advances and requests for sex, from a sales manager in 2017. The sales manager later sexually assaulted the employee at a holiday party and Elite Wireless failed to act on reports of the harassment and permitted the sales manager to continue working with the employee, even after she filed a criminal complaint against him. In 2019, Wireless World purchased Elite Wireless and became liable for that company’s failures, the EEOC charged.
Such conduct violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits sex harassment and requires employers to take prompt action to investigate and stop misconduct after they are notified. After first attempting to reach a pre-litigation settlement through conciliation, the EEOC filed its lawsuit (EEOC v. Elite Wireless Group, Inc. et al, Case No. 2:19-cv-02187-DC-CKD) in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California.
Under the court-approved decree settling the suit, Wireless World will pay $107,916 to the employee. Wireless World, which shut down in 2021, agreed to implement various EEO measures, including trainings and policies to ensure its compliance with Title VII, should it resume operations during the term of the decree.
“The EEOC commends Wireless World’s ownership for its cooperation in finding an appropriate resolution of this case, even though the harassment here predated its involvement,” said Nancy Sienko, district director for the EEOC’s San Francisco District. “This settlement provides overdue closure for this worker, who was a teen at the time this occurred.”
Senior Trial Attorney James H. Baker said, “The EEOC will continue to enforce federal anti-harassment laws and ensure that companies act swiftly to address discrimination and harassment in their workplaces.”
In fiscal year 2023, the EEOC recovered over $60 million for violations of Title VII involving sex harassment. For more information on sexual harassment, please visit https://www.eeoc.gov/sexual-harassment. Employers who want to proactively address harassment are encouraged to review the agency’s Select Task Force report on workplace harassment and ‘Risk Factors for Harassment and Responsive Strategies.
The EEOC’s San Francisco District has jurisdiction over Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, northern California, northern Nevada and Washington.
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.
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Please contact newsroom@eeoc.gov for media inquiries.
CONTACT:
Nancy Sienko, District Director, (206) 576-3013
Roberta Steele, Regional Attorney (650) 684-0939
James Baker, Senior Trial Attorney (650) 684-0950
Mariko Ashley, Senior Trial Attorney (650) 684-0943
U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
San Francisco District Office
450 Golden Gate Ave., 5th Fl. W, POB 36025
San Francisco, CA 94102
EEOC Office of Communications & Legislative Affairs
131 M Street NE Washington, DC 20507
newsroom@eeoc.gov
ASL videophone 844-234-5122
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