The San Jose Mercury News has agreed to pay $150,000 to settle a same-sex harassment lawsuit. The lawsuit grew out of a charge filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission by Mark Newton, a mailroom employee who claimed he was subjected to ongoing sexual harassment by a male supervisor. The alleged harassment included inappropriate sexual comments and touching. Newton, who is married with children, charged that he complained about the harassment but that the company failed to take corrective action.
In connection with the settlement, the Mercury News will re-distribute its anti-harassment policy to employees and provide further sexual harassment training to mail room workers. The newspaper denied the harassment charges.
Additional Resources:
Sexual Harassment information
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
Sample Policy Against Unlawful Harassment, Discrimination, and Retaliation
The Step-By-Step Sexual Harassment Prevention Guide for California Employers