Dillard’s Settles Sexual Harassment Suit
Dillard’s agreed to pay $500,000 to settle a class sexual harassment suit filed on behalf of 12 former employees who were harassed by an assistant store manager in two states, according to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
Store manager Scot McGuiness sexually harassed women at two Dillard’s department stores, one in California, the other in Colorado, the EEOC maintained. The EEOC said Dillard’s knew McGuiness harassed women at the outlet’s Palmdale, Calif., store and failed to take proper action. Instead, the retailer sent him to its Westminster, Colo., store and failed to notify managers there about McGuiness’ history. Soon after arriving at the Westminster location, McGuiness harassed another employee. Ten months later, he was fired after harassing an 18-year-old employee who filed a police report, according to the EEOC.
“Cloaked with his mantle of authority, Mr. McGuiness used his power over his female subordinate employees as a way to reward or punish his victims,” said Sandra Padegimas, EEOC’s trial attorney, according to States News Service. “By failing to notify the Colorado store about this man’s sexual harassment in California at the time of his transfer to Colorado, Dillard’s permitted its Westminster employees to go in harm’s way.
”As part of the settlement, Dillard’s agreed to provide sexual harassment training to employees and management officials, including special training for managers to investigate harassment allegations. Additionally, Dillard’s agreed to notify stores if an employee with past sexual harassment complaints is transferred to their department.
“The EEOC helped us ladies stand up to Dillard’s,” said Ybarra Lloyd, who worked at the Palmdale store, according to a States News Service report. “Dillard’s agreed to make changes in its workplace that, hopefully, will prevent others from being victimized.”
