Is this sexual harrassment?

[OHNnurse]

What is the name of your state? TN

My daughter is 19 yo. She works for a fast food chain. Some of her male coworkers have been calling her names such as whore, slut, hoe, etc... There are two males doing this. She went on two dates with one of them and after she told him she only wanted to be friends he started doing this. Now there are two of them doing this. She has reported this to the store manager but she only said, "they are just joking around, just ignore them". When my daughter told them she thought this was sexual harrassment they laughed and told her she was crazy. They do not think it is because they haven't asked her for sexual favors. Does anyone know where I might find out if this is indeed sexual harrassment and what else she can do to stop this? I think it is but do not know the law on harrassment. She is currently looking for another job. She has worked for this company for 4 years and will be going away to college in the spring. I just do not want them doing this to anyone else after she leaves. They should also be disciplined for doing this to my daughter. Thanks for any help!!

 

[porcelina68]

At the company I work for, they also define sexual harassment as: "Such conduct that has the effect of unreasonably interfering with your work performance or creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment."

That sounds like what your daughter is going through, and if the on-site manager where she works will not do anything about it, then she should start going up the ladder by contacting HIS boss. She should not stop until someone takes her seriously.

 

[Beth3]

They do not think it is because they haven't asked her for sexual favors. Then they are dead wrong. Sex discrimination/harassment is treating someone less favorably BECAUSE of their gender. Period. The law doesn't require that she be asked to have sex with anyone.

(a) If your daughter were male, they wouldn't be calling her slut, whore, etc.
(b) The comments are sexually derrogatory, crude and offensive.
(c) She's asked them to stop and they won't.

You BET this is sexual harassment - a classic case of it and the store manager is a complete idiot for not putting a stop to this NOW. I suggest your daughter immediately contact someone in more senior management (HR? the store owner? Corporate? - depending on the ownership/structure of this fast food place) and tell them exactly what has been taking place AND that she's reported it to the store manager who has refused to put a stop to it.

If that doesn't get them moving, nothing will 'cause the fact that she's reported this to the store manager who REFUSED to intervene ought to scare the bejesus out of them. If that doesn't work, then her next stop should be your State's equal rights division or the federal EEOC. She's also free to consult with an attorney too.