Arizona Truck Stop to Pay $70,000 to Settle EEOC Suit Charging Sex Harassment by Customers

PHOENIX –Love’s Travel Stops and Country Stores, Inc. will pay $70,000 as part of a settlement of a sexual harassment lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). The EEOC had charged that Love’s subjected two young female cashiers to repeated and serious sex-based abuse by customers.

According to the EEOC, two cashiers working at Love’s Buckeye, Ariz., truck stop, aged 18 and 20 at the start of their employment, were sexually harassed frequently by truck drivers, some of whom were regular customers of Love’s. The alleged harassment, some of which was purportedly committed in front of other customers, included unwanted sexual touching and pressing; crude and obscene remarks; sexual demands and innuendos; handing one victim an obscene card; and demands for personal information.

The EEOC maintained that Love’s not only knew about and tolerated this sexually hostile work environment caused by its customers, but at least one manager laughed about it, and another manager said the harassment was to be expected because it is a truck stop. Managers also told the victims to “deal with it” and in particular to tolerate the misconduct of one repeat offending customer because “he’s always like that.”

Sexual harassment violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The EEOC filed suit in U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona (EEOC v. Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores, Inc., Civil Action No.CV-07-1843-ROS), after first attempting to reach a voluntary settlement out of court through its conciliation process.

In addition to the settlement requiring Love’s to pay $70,000 to the former cashiers, Love’s also must investigate complaints of sexual harassment, provide training for managers and supervisors on conducting sexual harassment investigations, and post a warning that harassment of Love’s employees will not be tolerated.

“Employers are liable for the harassment of their workers by non-employees on their property, when they knew or should have known about the harassment and failed to take corrective action,” said EEOC Regional Attorney Mary Jo O’Neill of the Phoenix District Office, which originated the legal action. “This settlement agreement sends a message to Love’s and other companies that they must promptly address the harassment of employees by their customers.”