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Husband fired for sexual harassment...help!

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leigh6000

Guest
We live in Ohio.
My husband just came home from work after being fired for "sexual harassment"
The woman who filed the claim had recently been fired and was a well known flirt throughout the store. Several times the store manager had to tell her to "tone it down" with the sexual inuendos. After she and several other woman got fired for stealing she reported that my huband had been making sexual comments to her and that he had touched her behind once.
After interviewing all of her "friends".....the same ones who all got fired with her, they determined that my husband should be fired.
My husband says that he has not made any more comments than anyone else in the store (mostly the woman) and he does not remember ever touching her. He didn't say he didn't do it, but does not remember it. Her report claims his comments and actions were "unwelcome" and her friends stated that they all witnessed it and it made them "uncomfortable".
Earlier in the year, this same woman who filed the claim wanted a dog we were trying to adopt out. She took him home, left him unattended, and he destroyed her couch. She brought the dog back. She never asked to be reimbursed and we didn't offer since we felt she should not have left him unattended.....so this may be a source for her anger with my husband.
Also other assistant managers have previously been accused of sexual harrassment and were only written up. This is the only case of someone being fired.
Are we justified in thinking that this scenerio is a bit wrong? I can understand if he was some jerk walking around the store saying things and grabbing woman, but he is not like that.
It makes me very angry that the woman who started this is accusing my husband of the very same thing she herself has been warned about and yet, she was never written up, and got fired because she was a thief.....not a pervert. Should we do anything, or learn and move on?
 


stephenk

Senior Member
i would ask your hubby why he said he didnt remember touching the lady's ass instead of denying he touched her ass?
 

Beth3

Senior Member
Learn and move on.

Presumably the fact that your husband engaged in the same level of sexual banter in the workplace as this woman did gives her complaint that he touched her credibilty. And the fact that he says he doesn't remember doing so, rather than denying it, only gives her complaint more validity. (I don't know about you but I'd sure remember if I touched someone's hinder at work.)

Yes, this scenario is a bit wrong, including that your husband behaved in a manner that led his employer to conclude that this woman's accusation may be truthful. If they elected to believe her and fire him, they may do so.
 
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hmmbrdzz

Guest
Regards "I'd sure remember if I touched someone's hinder at work" (that was a good one), it kind of reminds me of the defense Bill used (that your husband should have probably used).

"I did not have sexual relations with that woman."

hmmbrdzz
 
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leigh6000

Guest
Thank you for your comments

I read over my original post and I can totally see why you all would make the comments you have about him not remembering if he touched her. That didn't sound good, did it?....LOL
My husband is just the kind of person that would rather say he didn't remember than come right out and call her a liar on the off chance that he might have accidentally bumped her or something and she construed it is being touched. I know even that sounds lame, but unfortunately you don't know my husband's personality.
Even his store manager and the district manager both called today to talk to him and tell him they would both give him great letters of recommendation and to use them both as a reference. His store manager told him the only reason they fired him is because they were afraid these girls would file a law suit and with them all sticking together and saying what the woman claimed was true they felt they had no choice.
I completely understand that there is nothing we can do about this. I just don't think it is fair for someone to participate and for the most part start sexual banter in the work place, then after she is fired for wrongdoing comes back for revenge. If she was so uncomfortable then why did she wait until she was FIRED to complain. Why are the ONLY people that were witnesses her friends that were also fired? If this girl was SO uncomfortable around my husband then why did she come to my home to get a dog from us?
My husband has been with this company for almost 5 years. He has never so much as taken a sick day, never gotten in trouble, been written up, been late.....nothing. The job he had before this one he had for 16 years and he had the same record there.
I will take your advice and move on. I can't help but still be upset and think this whole situation is completely unfair, but I do appreciate you taking the time to post.
 

Beth3

Senior Member
Yes, it's quite possible this woman complained out of revenge. Unfortunately, because of the sexual banter your husband engaged in, that left him vulnerable to a complaint like that. Had he not gotten down to her level with all the on-going talk and comments, the employer would have been in a much better position to tell her they didn't believe her.

Perhaps your husband thought he was being a gentleman by not saying she was lying but unfortunately when he told the employer he didn't remember, he gave them NO ammunition to refute her allegations. If someone ever makes false allegations against your husband again, he needs to protest his innocence in no uncertain terms.
 
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hmmbrdzz

Guest
It is unfair, but you're dealing with a world that still thinks, to a large degree, that men -- primarly -- are the ones who "sexually harass". We've probably all seen women whose tactics surpassed that of men in the "sexual harassment" department. Kind of unbelievable, but it's cultural mentality you are also up against. It has made the work place a dangerous place to be -- period.

But Bill?

Good luck anhow.

hmmbrdzz
 
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erik_pistol

Guest
There have been lawsuits won on the grounds that the behavior was initiated/encouraged by the accusing female. It may be worthwhile to check this with a local lawyer.

But, Any lawsuit will not re-open the original harassment case. A case brought by you would have to address whether the investigation was reasonable and in good faith. In one famous lawsuit a man subsequently proved that the accusations were lies, but because he had not raised this during the investigation he lost the lawsuit. Cotran v R Hollins Hall i think.

My website is on the topic of false accusations within the workplace. You may find some useful info there.

http://mensrights.bizhosting.com

Regards

Erik Pistol
 

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