$500,000 sexual harassment settlement

The Trucker has this story: “PJAX pays $500,000 in bias suit settlement”

“PITTSBURGH — The PJAX Inc. trucking firm of Gibsonia, Pa., is paying more than $500,000 to settle a sex harassment lawsuit. But a company spokeswoman said that’s not an admission of wrongdoing, it’s an attempt to avoid a costly court case.

Even though PJAX has “steadfastly denied” the allegations and believes the company would have been successful in federal court, it made a business decision to forego the expense and “distraction” of a court case, said Roxanne Germ, PJAX director and spokeswoman.”

That’s a lot to pay for a “nuisance” settlement just to forego the costs of litigation!

“The lawsuit, filed in May in U.S. District Court in Pittsburgh, alleged that since May of 1999 owners and members of management had screamed ‘vulgarities’ at female employees, had asked female employees to pick up owners’ laundry and clean owners’ cars, and that one woman was asked to perform sexual favors for a company official’s bookie to get a gambling debt reduced. Females also were allegedly passed over for truck driving positions and dock worker jobs.”

“The settlement reportedly will be shared by the five female employees whose complaints led to the lawsuit.”

Average of $100,000 apiece? I’d tolerate some abusive conduct for that kind of money. I’d certainly pick up owners’ laundry and clean owners’ cars– isn’t that compensable work they could hire someone to do anyway?

It’s this kind of settlement getting this kind of publicity that fans the flames of sexual harassment litigation. But I guess I can’t complain, its job security for me. . . .

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