An Arizona pet store has agreed to pay a $340,000 to settle a lawsuit brought by female employees who say they faced sexual harassment.
The settlement came after claims of sexual harassment were investigated at both Bark If You're Dirty locations in Phoenix and Scottsdale.
Employees of Bark If You’re Dirty alleged sexual harassment from male employees. After an investigation from the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the business — formerly known as Wag ’n Wash — agreed to pay the women who brought the case.
Syreeta Tyrell is an attorney who oversaw the case. She detailed acts taken by a male employee at the Phoenix location.
“He often would go after, in some ways, very younger women in a way that was predatory. These women are often recent high school graduates or in their early 20s," Tyrell said.
According to the commission: "The sexual harassment included making inappropriate sexual comments about female employees and customers, physically touching female employees without their consent, sexually propositioning female employees, and even showing female employees naked photos. Female employees complained about this harassment to management at both stores on multiple occasions over a period of several years. ... The EEOC also alleged that Bark If You’re Dirty retaliated against certain female employees by terminating them after they complained about the sexual harassment. Other female employees felt compelled to resign from their employment with the company because they were severely affected by the sexual harassment they experienced and left vulnerable with management’s inaction."
The EEOC announced the settlement in a press release on Friday morning.
"Women want to be able to work without having their bodies surveilled, and we want to make sure workplaces are continuing to create spaces for respect and inclusivity," said Tyrell.
