OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) - Goodwill Industries and an affiliate will pay $850,000 to eight current and former workers to settle a sexual harassment lawsuit, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission announced Thursday.
The EEOC sued Goodwill’s Northern California chapter known as the Greater East Bay division and a subsidiary company Calidad Industries.
The EEOC alleged that six female janitors working the night shift in 2012 at the federal courthouse in Oakland were routinely harassed by their supervisor. The EEOC also alleged that two managers were unfairly disciplined in retaliation for supporting the women’s complaints.
The young women had developmental disabilities and were employed by Goodwill and affiliate Calidad Industries. Goodwill and Calidad have contracts to supply janitorial services to federal facilities and staff the jobs with workers with disabilities.
Jim Caponigro, chief executive of both entities, said the companies “could have done a better job” investigating the women’s claims and resolving the complaints. He said both entities are staffed with new executives and Goodwill changed its complaint review process and increased training since 2012.
“We are a totally different organization today than we were in 2012,”said Caponigro, who took the reins of Goodwill’s East Bay operation in 2016.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.