BAKERSFIELD CALIFORNIAN

January 14, 2010

Lawsuit alleges Giumarra allowed sexual harassment

BY JOHN COX, Californian staff writer

The federal government has accused Edison-based Giumarra Vineyards Corp. of subjecting a young woman to sexual harassment and then firing her and others when they complained to management.

A lawsuit filed Dec. 29 in Fresno federal court by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission says a non-management Giumarra worker made unwanted sexual advances to the alleged victim, a 17-year-old farmworker, "on an almost daily basis" at company facilities in Edison. It says a third party complained to management but that the company took no effective action to stop the alleged harassment.

Then, on or about July 19, 2007, the EEOC suit states, the young woman and three others complained to management, only to be fired within 24 hours -- abruptly, for no stated reason, at a time when none of their co-workers were let go.

The EEOC suit says the company tolerated the alleged harassment, creating a hostile work environment, and that the firings amounted to retaliation for a lawfully protected activity. It says the company's actions violated portions of the Civil Rights acts of 1964 and 1991.

The commission says its attempts to resolve the situation short of lawsuit were unsuccessful. Its suit asks that the company institute more equitable employment policies and to pay back wages, punitive damages and the EEOC's legal costs, among other things.

Giumarra issued the following statement after the EEOC issued a news release Wednesday about the lawsuit:

"Giumarra Vineyards denies the allegations in the complaint filed by the EEOC and will vigorously defend itself against all of the allegations. When this matter is concluded we are confident that our position will be affirmed."