A Florida woman has filed a lawsuit against a Navy official after experiencing what she claims was inappropriate treatment at her workplace. Her claim states that she experienced sexual harassment at work, as well as a workplace environment that was unfair to women, especially those in leadership positions. She states that the U.S. Secretary of the Navy should have known about the harassment and taken steps to appropriately reprimand the supervisor.
The woman works as a supervisory logistics management specialist at the U.S. Navy’s Orlando field office. She originally filed the complaint in 2014, and an investigation into what happened was just completed. She had the option to pursue additional legal action if the outcome of the complaint was not to her satisfaction, which she did. In the lawsuit, she says she experienced unwanted physical contact from a man who was her supervisor.
Some of the unwanted contact she experienced included him touching her while she was walking down the hall. The harassment took place both in the office and during work-related social functions. After her original complaint, he was placed on administrative leave, but she believes his supervisor helped him avoid more serious punishment for his actions.
The claimant hopes to go to trial where she plans to seek damages for emotional strain, compensation for lost wages and back pay. Sexual harassment at work is unacceptable in any Florida workplace, and it is grounds for legal action in many cases. Supervisors and employers have the responsibility of taking these complaints seriously and addressing them appropriately.
