Sexual harassment is a problem for women in virtually every industry and at nearly every level of employment. From management and supervisory positions to low-level employees, women in the workplace are targeted by sexual demands and requests, as well as the inappropriate remarks, jokes and comments that create a toxic work environment.
McDonald’s restaurants common sites of sexual harassment
Still, it is disturbing to learn that in a recent survey of female current and recent McDonald’s employees, three quarters reported being sexually harassed at work. One third said they had been sexually assaulted. Half said that supervisors or co-workers had made sexually suggestive comments. Half also experienced sexual gestures or suggestive looks. Nineteen percent said they were threatened for not having sex or dating a co-worker. In all, two-thirds of the respondents said they had experienced multiple forms of sexual harassment, suggesting how rampant the problem is at McDonald’s.
Besides the apparent pattern of behavior, another problem could be reporting sexual harassment and getting the management or ownership of a McDonald’s franchise to do anything about it. In one example, a woman who was repeatedly harassed by a co-worker complained to her general manager. But, the woman says, the manager did nothing. So when she was later victimized by a shift manager, instead of filing another complaint, the woman was forced to cut her hours. She said she did so to avoid the new round of harassment.
Fighting back after your employer lets you down
If you have been sexually harassed, and you have tried to go through your employer’s reporting requirements without a satisfactory result, your next step could be to consult an employment law attorney. Talking with a lawyer who represents employees in sexual harassment litigation can help you understand what you might be entitled to in terms of compensation.