Georgia-Pacific Gypsum has agreed to pay $75,000 to settle a sexual harassment claim brought against the company nearly two years ago by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and a former employee, Tina Hammer, the EEOC announced Feb. 12.
In the lawsuit the EEOC alleged the company violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by permitting a co-worker at its Fort Dodge, Iowa, drywall manufacturing plant to sexually harass Hammer and then not taking appropriate remedial action.
Under an 18-month consent decree approved Feb. 11, the manufacturer agreed to pay $75,000 for the sexual harassment claim. In addition, it will:
give Title VII training to its Fort Dodge managers and supervisors;
post a notice of the settlement at its Fort Dodge plant; and
report to the EEOC through May 31, 2010, about complaints of sexual harassment or retaliation by Fort Dodge employees and measures taken as a result of the complaints.
The EEOC reported that Georgia-Pacific Gypsum will make a second payment to Hammer to resolve a claim that the company fired her in retaliation for her sexual harassment complaints. That claim was brought through a private attorney.
