United Parcel Service agreed to pay $10,000 to settle a sexual harassment case at its Santa Barbara, California facility following an investigation by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
The settlement resolves a charge filed in December 2021 alleging that UPS failed to address ongoing sexual harassment by a coworker and denied promotion based on sex. Federal investigators found reasonable cause to believe the company violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by not remedying workplace sexual harassment affecting multiple female employees.
Without admitting liability, UPS entered into a conciliation agreement that includes monetary relief and several workplace improvements at the Santa Barbara service center.
“We commend UPS for choosing to resolve this charge for the affected class member and for putting in place measures that will benefit employees throughout the Santa Barbara UPS service center,” said Christine Park-Gonzalez, district director of the EEOC’s Los Angeles District.
The original complainant chose to pursue the matter independently, while the EEOC negotiated the settlement for one remaining class member.
Beyond the financial payment, UPS agreed to provide training to all employees at the location and permanently display the company’s “Golden Rules” inside bathroom facilities. The company will also post notices informing employees about the resolution and their rights under federal anti-discrimination laws.
The EEOC will monitor compliance with the agreement for three years.
Park-Gonzalez noted that workplace harassment impacts both employee morale and business operations. “Harassment has an insidious effect in a workplace, negatively impacting an employer’s workflow, and, ultimately, its bottom line. Addressing it early on has a positive impact on not only staff morale, but the business as a whole,” she said.
The EEOC’s Los Angeles District oversees enforcement in central and southern California, southern Nevada, Hawaii, Guam, American Samoa, Wake Island, and the Northern Mariana Islands.
