Dillard’s Department Store Paid Settlement for Sexual Harassment

June 16, 2009

Most cases of sexual harassment generally involve solicitous comments or actions towards female employees from a male boss or authority figure. However, a recent case, which was litigated in Miami, Florida, addressed the issue of same-sex harassment.

In 2007, the manger of a Dillard’s department store hired a manual laborer and brought him to an isolated part of the premises. He allegedly lured the man and others by telling them about some work that needed to be done, but then masturbated or pressed himself against the bodies of the workers.

According to the lawsuit, Dillard’s failed to take any action against the manager after a complaint was filed and denied that anything had ever happened. However, eventually the department store chose to settle the case for a sum of $110,000.

Despite the media’s attention to male to female sexual harassment, it is possible for some cases to include a woman aggressor or even same-sex aggression. This deserves to be treated as seriously and with the same amount of attention.