Sexual harassment in the workplace can be very harmful to employees and no employee should have to be subjected to it. Thus, it is very important for employers to not retaliate against employees for reporting such harassment. Employees shouldn't have to worry that they will be subjected to negative treatment or fired because they reported wrongful conduct in the workplace.

Recently, a federal jury reached its decision in a retaliation case. The case involved a restaurant in Georgia. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) accused the restaurant of having committed wrongful retaliation against four of its employees.

The EEOC claimed that a woman who worked as a waitress at the restaurant was subjected to sexual harassment by a male employee of the restaurant. According to the EEOC, the woman and three of her relatives (who also worked at the restaurant) reported this alleged harassment to the restaurant. Allegedly, after this occurred, the restaurant fired the woman and her three relatives. The EEOC alleged that these firings were retaliation for the woman and her relatives having reported the alleged sexual harassment.

The EEOC brought a retaliation lawsuit in a federal court in Georgia against the restaurant in connection to these allegations. A trial was held and the jury in this case recently reached its verdict. The jury ruled against the restaurant and awarded the woman and her three relatives monetary damages.

As the allegations that were made in this recently-decided case illustrate, it can be very harmful when employers retaliate against employees for reporting wrongful conduct. Thus, one hopes that all employers make sure to not engage in such wrongful retaliation against their employees.

Source: U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, "EEOC Wins Jury Verdict for Retaliation Victims at Atlanta-Area Restaurant," Feb. 6, 2012