Women who work at some Florida McDonald’s restaurants are among those who participated in walkouts to protest the company’s handling of sexual harassment. On Sept. 18, female workers at McDonald’s locations in 10 major cities planned to walk out of work during the lunch rush. The protests come after an Equal Employment Opportunity Commission complaint was filed against McDonald’s in May.
The Time’s Up Legal Defense Fund and the labor advocacy group Fight for $15 helped file the EEOC complaint on behalf of 10 women who work at McDonald’s restaurants in eight different cities. The complaint alleges that there were widespread examples of women being propositioned for sex, groped or assaulted by superiors or coworkers. According to the women, they were retaliated against, rebuffed or fired when they reported the incidents.
Fight for $15 helped to organize the walk out protests as well. A lawyer withthe organization said she hoped at the end of the strike McDonald’s would come to enforce its zero tolerance sexual harassment policy. In addition to demanding enforcement of the zero tolerance policy, the striking workers are demanding that the fast food restaurant form a committee focused on combating sexual harassment and hold manager and employee sexual harassment training.
They also want McDonald’s to create a better system for responding to and receiving complaints of harassment. Employees who believe they have been subjected to harassment at work might want to speak with an attorney in Boca Raton, Florida. An attorney with experience in employment law might be able to help the client secure a settlement for compensation based on a theory of quid pro quo or hostile environment sexual harassment.
