EEOC Sues X-Treme Tech Services for Sexual Harassment and Retaliation
Federal Agency Charges Company Fired Female Employee After She Resisted Supervisor’s Sexual Advances
THIBODAUX, LA (STL.News) X-Treme Tech Services, LLC, which provides marine electronic services, violated federal law when a supervisor repeatedly sexually harassed a female employee and then fired her after she resisted his advances, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) charged in a lawsuit filed on July 22, 2024.
According to the lawsuit, the female employee was an administrative assistant for X-Treme Tech, and her supervisor repeatedly and persistently subjected her to unwelcome sexual advances. His conduct included sending her numerous sexually explicit text messages and images, commenting on her body, touching her inappropriately, attempting to kiss her, and propositioning her for sex. After she repeatedly declined his advances, he became unfairly critical of her work and fired her.
Such alleged conduct violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1965, which prohibits sex discrimination, including sex-based harassment and, termination, and retaliation. The EEOC filed suit (EEOC v. X-Treme Tech Services, LLC, Case No. 24-1829) in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana after first attempting to reach a pre-litigation settlement through its administrative conciliation process.
“Workers should not have to endure sexual harassment to keep their jobs,” said Senior Trial Attorney Elizabeth Owen. “Terminating an employee for resisting sexual advances is retaliatory and unlawful.”
Michael Kirkland, director of the EEOC’s New Orleans Field Office, said, “Under Title VII, employers have a duty to protect their employees from sexual harassment at work. The EEOC will continue to hold employers accountable to their obligations under federal law.”
Editorial Note: According to a LinkedIn profile, Shawn Bernard owns X-Treme Tech Services, LLC. According to their Facebook page, they are attempting to hire a part-time administrative person.
