Employees of one gender dominate some work environments in Florida and other states, and it is not uncommon for a lone member of the opposite gender to feel uncomfortable. Sometimes one gender is taken advantage of, and this can lead to different types of discrimination and workplace harassment. A lawsuit was recently filed in another state against an automotive group and one of its dealers, alleging wrongful termination that followed gender and age discrimination along with sexual harassment.
The plaintiff is a 51-year-old woman who started working as a sales consultant at the car dealership in July 2008. The plaintiff contends that she experienced no discrimination until a male replaced the female general manager in 2013. The complaint states that this left the plaintiff as the only female staff member in a distinctly male-dominant environment in which she claims to have been intentionally excluded from events arranged for all sales consultants.
Court documents show that the plaintiff also alleges sexual harassment and indecent proposals from two male staff members. The plaintiff asserts she reported this harassment on a confidential in-house company survey, after which her employment was terminated in Oct. 2014. It is further alleged that younger female consultants have subsequently been appointed at the dealership, leading to the plaintiff's claim of age discrimination.
Florida employees who have experienced similar workplace discrimination or harassment may take similar steps to pursue fair restitution. This woman is seeking back and front pay, benefits she was denied, loss of earning capability and interest. Furthermore, she seeks other compensatory and punitive damages along with court and other legal fees. Fighting such a lawsuit may seem an insurmountable task, but with the support and guidance of an experienced employment law attorney, a fair outcome may be achieved.
Source: louisianarecord.com, "Former Mercedes sales consultant alleges gender and age discrimination", Hoang Tran, March 29, 2016