McDonald's worker says a manager pinned her against a wall in a freezer and assaulted her as part of $5 million class-action lawsuit
- McDonald's workers and labor groups on Tuesday filed a class-action lawsuit seeking at least $5 million in damages over claims that the company has failed to address a "systemic problem" of harassment.
- The named plaintiff in the suit, 32-year-old former McDonald's worker Jenna Ries, claimed that a manager harassed her by placing his penis in her hand and pinning her against a wall in a restaurant freezer.
- According to the suit, the manager targeted young workers, earning him the nickname "minor violator," and he groped, hit, and "humped," multiple female employees.
- In response to the lawsuit, McDonald's said, "There is a deeply important conversation around safe and respectful workplaces in communities throughout the U.S. and around the world, and McDonald's is demonstrating its continued commitment to this issue through the implementation of Safe and Respectful Workplace Training in 100% of our corporate-owned restaurants."
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McDonald's workers and labor groups are suing the fast-food chain over claims of rampant sexual harassment in its restaurants.
The American Civil Liberties Union and Michigan McDonald's workers on Tuesday filed a class-action lawsuit seeking at least $5 million in damages over claims that McDonald's has failed to address a "systemic problem" of harassment.
"McDonald's, one of the largest employers in the country, creates and permits a toxic work culture from the very top - as reflected by former CEO Steve Easterbrook's recent firing for an inappropriate relationship with a subordinate in violation of company policy - and throughout its thousands of restaurants within the United States that employ over one million workers," the lawsuit states."
The named plaintiff in the suit, 32-year-old former McDonald's worker Jenna Ries, claimed that a manager harassed her by verbally taunting her, pulling her hair, and repeatedly grabbing her crotch, buttocks, and chest.
"Once, when he was working next to [Ries] in the kitchen, the swing manager placed his penis in [Ries'] hand," the suit states. This manager also once pinned Ries against a wall in the restaurant freezer, according to the lawsuit.
"He cornered me against the wall," Ries said in a call with media on Tuesday, "I was so scared."
She said she "constantly lived in fear" of losing her job for rejecting the manager's advances. When Ries reported the harassment, she was transferred to another store, where her hours were cut and she was forced to quit, according to the complaint.
The lawsuit claims the manager harassed other employees at the restaurant, as well. According to the suit, the manager targeted young workers, earning him the nickname "minor violator," and he groped, hit, and "humped," multiple female employees.
The lawsuit is seeking $5 million in damages for Ries and a group of employees who worked at the Michigan McDonald's where she was employed.
McDonald's has rolled out new anti-harassment policies, but is facing pressure to do more
The suit is also demanding that McDonald's implement effective anti-harassment policies and procedures, including worker-led mandatory training, a safe system of reporting, adequate investigation and discipline, and protections against retaliation.
McDonald's partnered with its National Franchisee Leadership Association and the Women Operators Network to roll out a new workplace training program in October. The program includes both computer-based training and in-person discussions on how to mitigate workplace violence, identify and report harassment, and prevent unconscious bias and bullying.
The National Franchisee Leadership Alliance referenced the new training in its note to franchisees following Easterbrook's termination.
"The responsibility of leading this brand is a privilege. As we have stated before, a safe and respectful workplace is not a focus, it is a societal expectation, and it is core to our values," reads the letter, obtained by Business Insider. "This is at the foundation of our McDonald's culture, and it's why over a month ago we announced an unprecedented training initiative - to reinvest in creating a culture in which we can all be proud."
The training follows a new policy on discrimination, harassment, and retaliation that rolled out in corporate-owned McDonald's locations in January. McDonald's launched a hotline that all employees can call to express concerns and report harassment in June.
"There is a deeply important conversation around safe and respectful workplaces in communities throughout the US and around the world, and McDonald's is demonstrating its continued commitment to this issue through the implementation of Safe and Respectful Workplace Training in 100% of our corporate-owned restaurants," McDonald's representative said in a statement when asked for comment on the lawsuit.
Sexual harassment is a major issue for many workers in the restaurant industry.
In May, 25 McDonald's employees filed sexual harassment charges against the fast-food giant, following a series of prior sexual harassment complaints against McDonald's.
According to a 2016 study, 40% of women working at fast-food chains said they had been sexually harassed at work. A 2015 survey of almost 1,500 fast-food workers found that 12% reported being assaulted on the job in the previous year.
If you're a McDonald's worker or franchisee with a story to share, reach out at retail@businessinsider.com.