Terminating an Employee for Complaining About Discrimination is Illegal

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission settled a case against Hat World, Inc. after the EEOC filed a lawsuit alleging that Hat World had discriminated against one of its store managers because she complained and filed an EEOC Charge regarding sexual harassment.  The EEOC’s lawsuit claimed that the store manager had made written complains to Hat World’s corporate HR department regarding sexual harassment.  In particular, this store manager claimed that her district manager was sexually harassing her.  In addition to these written complaints, the employee also filed an EEOC Charge of Discrimination.  Shortly after this, Hat World terminated her employment.  The alleged conduct is a violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits employers from retaliating for complaints of sexual harassment.  See EEOC v. Hat World, Inc. d/b/a Lids, No. 2:19-cv-00314 (E.D. Va.).