Golf International to Pay $25,000 to Settle EEOC Retaliation Lawsuit for Firing Male Employee Who Reported Sexual Harassment of Women
May 14th, 2012Golf International, an Arizona-based golf course and restaurant, has agreed to settle an employment discrimination lawsuit filed by the EEOC. The suit alleged that Golf International violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 when it fired Jeffrey White one day after he complained that several female employees thought a co-worker had sexually harassed them. Title VII prohibits both sexual harassment and retaliation against employees who complain about harassment.
After White filed a discrimination charge with the EEOC, Golf International offered to rehire him if he dropped his EEOC charge. White accepted the rehiring offer but Golf International fired him several weeks later.
The EEOC filed the lawsuit in U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona after failing to reach a pre-litigation settlement through the EEOC’s conciliation process. The consent decree settling the suit requires Golf International to pay $25,000 to White and to provide ongoing training to its employees regarding unlawful employment discrimination and retaliation. Golf International is also required to review and revise its discrimination policies, and must post notices at the worksite that explain federal civil rights protections.
According to EEOC Phoenix Regional Attorney Mary Jo O’Neill:
The law’s protections against retaliation are absolutely critical to enforcement of employees’ civil rights. We are pleased that Golf International worked cooperatively with us to resolve this case and that they will train their current and future employees that discrimination and retaliation are unlawful and will not be tolerated. We are hopeful that this agreement will help promote a discrimination-free workplace going forward.
The Employment Law Group® law firm has an extensive discrimination practice and has broad experience fighting for the rights of employees who have been victims of discrimination and retaliation by their employers.



