{"id":32880,"date":"2022-06-17T17:41:37","date_gmt":"2022-06-17T17:41:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cjstudents.com\/index.php\/2022\/06\/17\/owner-of-several-vermont-mcdonalds-settles-sexual-harassment-case-for-1-6-million\/"},"modified":"2022-06-17T17:41:37","modified_gmt":"2022-06-17T17:41:37","slug":"owner-of-several-vermont-mcdonalds-settles-sexual-harassment-case-for-1-6-million","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cjstudents.com\/index.php\/2022\/06\/17\/owner-of-several-vermont-mcdonalds-settles-sexual-harassment-case-for-1-6-million\/","title":{"rendered":"Owner of several Vermont McDonald\u2019s settles sexual harassment case for $1.6 million"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> [ad_1]<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"357381\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/vtdigger.org\/2021\/03\/31\/owner-of-several-mcdonalds-faces-legal-action-alleging-harassment\/mcdonalds-fast-food-sign\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/vtdigger.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/McDonalds-Fast-Food-Sign.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1920,1280\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;10&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;NIKON D500&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;85&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;100&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.005&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"McDonalds-Fast-Food-Sign\" data-image-description=\"&lt;p&gt;McDonald's sign. Photo by Kelvin Studdard\/Pixabay&lt;\/p&gt;&#10;\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;McDonald's sign. Photo by Kelvin Studdard\/Pixabay&lt;\/p&gt;&#10;\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/vtdigger.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/McDonalds-Fast-Food-Sign-300x200.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/vtdigger.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/McDonalds-Fast-Food-Sign-610x407.jpg\" width=\"610\" height=\"407\" src=\"https:\/\/vtdigger.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/McDonalds-Fast-Food-Sign-610x407.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-357381\" srcset=\"https:\/\/vtdigger.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/McDonalds-Fast-Food-Sign-610x407.jpg 610w, https:\/\/vtdigger.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/McDonalds-Fast-Food-Sign-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/vtdigger.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/McDonalds-Fast-Food-Sign-125x83.jpg 125w, https:\/\/vtdigger.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/McDonalds-Fast-Food-Sign-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/vtdigger.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/McDonalds-Fast-Food-Sign-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/vtdigger.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/McDonalds-Fast-Food-Sign.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 610px) 100vw, 610px\"\/><\/noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"357381\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/vtdigger.org\/2021\/03\/31\/owner-of-several-mcdonalds-faces-legal-action-alleging-harassment\/mcdonalds-fast-food-sign\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/vtdigger.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/McDonalds-Fast-Food-Sign.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1920,1280\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;10&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;NIKON D500&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;85&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;100&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.005&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"McDonalds-Fast-Food-Sign\" data-image-description=\"&lt;p&gt;McDonald's sign. Photo by Kelvin Studdard\/Pixabay&lt;\/p&gt;&#10;\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;McDonald's sign. Photo by Kelvin Studdard\/Pixabay&lt;\/p&gt;&#10;\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/vtdigger.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/McDonalds-Fast-Food-Sign-300x200.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/vtdigger.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/McDonalds-Fast-Food-Sign-610x407.jpg\" width=\"610\" height=\"407\" src=\"https:\/\/vtdigger.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/McDonalds-Fast-Food-Sign-610x407.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-357381\" srcset=\"https:\/\/vtdigger.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/McDonalds-Fast-Food-Sign-610x407.jpg 610w, https:\/\/vtdigger.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/McDonalds-Fast-Food-Sign-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/vtdigger.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/McDonalds-Fast-Food-Sign-125x83.jpg 125w, https:\/\/vtdigger.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/McDonalds-Fast-Food-Sign-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/vtdigger.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/McDonalds-Fast-Food-Sign-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/vtdigger.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/McDonalds-Fast-Food-Sign.jpg 1920w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 610px) 100vw, 610px\"\/><figcaption>McDonald&#8217;s sign. Photo by Kelvin Studdard\/Pixabay<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"has-drop-cap\">The owner of 10 McDonald\u2019s restaurants in Vermont and New Hampshire has agreed to pay $1.6 million to settle sexual harassment <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/vtdigger.org\/2021\/03\/31\/owner-of-several-mcdonalds-faces-legal-action-alleging-harassment\/\" rel=\"noopener\">charges filed<\/a> by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in March 2021.<\/p>\n<p>The commission alleged that franchise owner Coughlin, Inc. failed to protect Jennie Lumbra from \u201ca hostile work environment based on sex\u201d and from retaliation by a supervisor after she complained of discrimination.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Lumbra, who died in November 2021, was an employee at the Randolph McDonald\u2019s.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The settlement agreement was filed Thursday and has yet to be approved by the court. It would require Coughlin, Inc., which is based in Rutland, to take a number of steps to prevent future sexual harassment, including mandatory yearly trainings for all employees.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>It would also require the franchise owner to provide an independent, third-party hotline for employees to report sexual harassment, discrimination, retaliation or other workplace violations. Coughlin, Inc. would also have to develop and distribute an anti-discrimination policy to all employees.<\/p>\n<p>A third-party entity would monitor the company\u2019s compliance with the settlement agreement.<\/p>\n<p>Company owner Charles Coughlin said in a written statement that he was pleased to have reached an agreement.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIn my restaurants, nothing is more important than the safety and wellbeing of our employees and guests. We remain deeply committed to running a values-led organization, where harassment of any kind is not tolerated,\u201d Coughlin wrote.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>He also stated, \u201cWe have established strict policies and mandatory sexual harassment training for all employees upon their hiring.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>In 2008, Coughlin, Inc. settled a similar case with the Vermont attorney general\u2019s office, involving allegations of sexual harassment at McDonald\u2019s restaurants in Rutland, according <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/legalnewsline.com\/stories\/510519278-vt-mcdonald-s-owner-settles-with-sorrell\" rel=\"noopener\">to a report in Legal Newsline<\/a>. That agreement required Coughlin, Inc. to adopt policies and practices to prevent workplace sexual harassment.<\/p>\n<p>In 2021, the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission alleged that Peter Pratt, an assistant manager at the Randolph restaurant, had continuously harassed male and female employees. His behavior allegedly included \u201cunwelcome sexual comments\u201d and \u201cgrabbing or attempting to grab employees\u2019 breasts and buttocks and hitting employees\u2019 genitals.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The suit stated that Coughlin, Inc. removed Lumbra from her regular work schedule after she reported Pratt\u2019s behavior, leading Lumbra to resign. Coughlin, Inc. later fired Pratt after another employee reported his behavior to local law enforcement.<\/p>\n<p>The Vermont attorney general\u2019s office joined the suit as a plaintiff, alleging that Coughlin, Inc. also violated state employment law.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis settlement sets the tone for employers to recognize their duty to keep workers safe, respect their dignity, and provide a workplace free from discrimination,\u201d Vermont Deputy Attorney General Joshua Diamond said in a written statement.<\/p>\n<p>Pratt pleaded guilty in August 2021 to disorderly conduct and paid a fine, according to the Orange County state\u2019s attorney, Dickson Corbett, and is prohibited from entering any Coughlin-owned business.<\/p>\n<p>Lumbra\u2019s estate will receive $275,000. The Vermont state government will receive $125,000 for civil penalties and legal fees, and $1.2 million will go to a federal settlement fund to be distributed to affected individuals.<\/p>\n<div class=\"hideinamp\">\n<p style=\"font-family: Open Sans,sans-serif; margin:0; font-weight:700; padding: 10px 0;\">Stay on top of all of Vermont&#8217;s criminal justice news. Sign up here to get a weekly email with all of VTDigger&#8217;s reporting on courts and crime. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"border: 3px solid #c8cf2c; font-family: Open Sans;\">\n<h2>Did you know VTDigger is a nonprofit?<\/h2>\n<p>Our journalism is made possible by member donations. If you value what we do, please contribute and help keep this vital resource accessible to all. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><script type=\"text\/javsacript\"><\/p>\n<p><!-- Facebook Pixel Code -->\nsetTimeout(function(){\n!function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s)\n{if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function(){n.callMethod?\nn.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments)};\nif(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0';\nn.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0;\nt.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0];\ns.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)}(window,document,'script',\n'https:\/\/connect.facebook.net\/en_US\/fbevents.js');\n fbq('init', '1921611918160845'); \nfbq('track', 'PageView');\n}, 3000);<\/p>\n<p><\/script><br \/>\n<br \/>[ad_2]<br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/vtdigger.org\/2022\/06\/17\/owner-of-several-vermont-mcdonalds-settles-sexual-harassment-case-for-1-6-million\/\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[ad_1] McDonald&#8217;s sign. Photo by Kelvin Studdard\/Pixabay The owner of 10 McDonald\u2019s restaurants in Vermont&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":32881,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[26],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-32880","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-policy"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cjstudents.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32880","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cjstudents.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cjstudents.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cjstudents.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cjstudents.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=32880"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/cjstudents.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32880\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cjstudents.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/32881"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cjstudents.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=32880"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cjstudents.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=32880"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cjstudents.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=32880"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}