Starting in 2007, a male emergency room employee allegedly harassed female employees by subjecting them to inappropriate touching, propositions for sex, graphic discussions of sexual activities, obscene pictures and comments regarding female body parts, including those of underage patients.
According to the EEOC, one employee was terminated upon reporting the harassment, while others were compelled to quit. Despite complaints to hospital management, the male employee was not terminated until 2009, more than two years after the initial complaints were lodged. The EEOC filed a lawsuit against the hospital in Aug. 2010.
As part of the settlement, Garfield Medical Center entered into a three-year consent decree in which it will provide monetary relief for at least ten named victims along with sweeping injunctive relief designed to prevent and appropriately deal with future instances of harassment. Of the settlement amount, $100,000 will be set aside as a class fund for victims who have yet to be identified. The consent decree also requires that Garfield maintain a toll-free complaint hotline; retain a consultant to monitor and track complaints; provide anti-harassment and anti-retaliation training for all staff; and report compliance efforts to the EEOC.
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