Sexual Harassment of Church Employee
Church Employee's Sexual Harassment Struggle
Alice, a cook and assistant custodian at a local church, faced relentless interference in her cleaning duties from the pastor. He seemed to doubt her abilities due to her gender. To make matters worse, a new cleaning person was hired, who engaged in deeply uncomfortable conversations and an attempt to lure Alice into a secluded area.
Refusing these advances, Alice reported the incidents to the pastor, who dismissively told her to "brush it off." Seeking justice, she escalated her complaint to the larger church organization. In response, the pastor grew visibly angry, placing Alice on unpaid leave during their investigation. Shockingly, her harasser remained employed. Throughout this alleged investigation, the pastor kept his distance from Alice. However, he eventually arranged a meeting, insisting that both Alice and her harasser participate. In this meeting, Alice was shocked to learn that she would no longer perform cleaning duties, leaving her hours drastically reduced. This untenable situation financially strained Alice and forced her to work alongside her harasser and an increasingly hostile and insulting pastor. Faced with these challenges, Alice made the difficult decision not to return to her job. Solution We supported Alice in crafting a complaint submitted to the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination ("MCAD"). Later, we withdrew this complaint to pursue a civil lawsuit. After engaging in discovery, we successfully negotiated a settlement to compensate Alice for her traumatic experience and the retaliatory actions taken by church officials. Postscript If you find yourself enduring persistent harassment at work and are uncertain about resigning or pursuing other actions, consulting with an employment attorney is crucial. You may discover a private resolution that doesn't necessitate quitting or filing a lawsuit. |
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