US-based Balfour Beatty subsidiary settles sexual harassment suit

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The lawsuit was originally filed in 2023. BBI is a subsidiary of UK-based construction contractor Balfour Beatty.

According to the lawsuit filed in US District Court for the Eastern Division of North Carolina a female truck driver working at BBI was subjected to harassment by several male coworkers for more than one year.

Allegations include one male coworker asking the victim to “talk dirty” to him, said EEOC. The same coworker also sent sexually explicit text messages to the victim and attempted to solicit sexually explicit messages from her. The complaint also included allegations of retaliation by the accused.

“After the victim complained, the coworker’s conduct escalated,” stated the EEOC.

The complaint also alleged the victim was subjected to a “hostile work environment because she is female.” The EEOC said the victim alleged being called sexual derogatory names “on a regular basis” including: “This is a man’s world… if you can’t handle it then go work for [a consumer retail company].”

The EOOC added, “After the victim complained, she was denied an opportunity for advancement she was expecting and transferred to an undesirable work location.

“Such alleged conduct violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which protects individuals from workplace discrimination and harassment,” said EEOC.

In addition to paying $80,000 in damages to the affected employee, a two-year decree attached to the settlement requires BBI to implement a revised anti-discrimination and harassment policy, to train managers and employees on sexual harassment and retaliation, and to refrain from discriminating against employees because of their sex, said EEOC. The company also agreed to provide periodic reports to the agency.

Melinda C. Dugas, regional attorney for the EEOC’s Charlotte District Office, said, “This case illustrates that employers need to take swift action on employee complaints of sexual harassment and hostile work environment before the conduct escalates. Failure to do so will result in employer liability under Title VII.”