McDonald's Franchise Pays $550,000 For Sex Harassment

Eight Young Women Harrassed by Restaurant Manager

A McDonald's multi-unit franchise out of Flagstaff, Arizona, owner of restaurants in Arizona and California, will pay $550,000 in damages to eight young women who were sexually harassed by their restaurant manager in Cordes Junction. Charges were filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) Thursday directly to the franchisee, GLC Restaurants. McDonald's Corporation was NOT named in the lawsuit.

The manager allegedly grabbed the teens around the waist, touched their breasts, put his hands in their pockets and rubbed up against them in 2001 and 2002, according to the EEOC lawsuit, filed in federal court in 2005.

The manager had previously worked at a McDonald's in Camp Verde, where similar incidents occurred, the EEOC said. GLC allegedly knew of the incidents and didn't take action to stop them from happening again.

Not only does GLC need to pay the settlement money, but it is also required to train employees about sexual harassment.

[via USA Today]