Sandersonville Trucking Company Sued by EEOC For Retaliation

Howard Sheppard Fired Truck Driver for Reporting Sexual Harassment, Agency Charges

ATLANTA – Howard Sheppard, Inc., a Sandersville, Ga., for-hire carrier company providing common, contract, and truckload services, violated federal law by firing a female employee for complaining about sexual harassment, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) charged in a lawsuit it filed today.

According to the EEOC's suit, Civil Action No., 5:10-CV-118, filed in U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Georgia, Sarah Waller, a truck driver, complained to management officials that she had been subjected to unwelcome sexual advances and remarks over the CB radio by her co-workers. Shortly thereafter, the EEOC said, Howard Sheppard terminated Waller in retaliation for reporting the harassment.

Retaliating against an individual for reporting sexual harassment violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The EEOC filed suit after first attempting to reach a voluntary settlement.

"An employer who punishes an employee for reporting sexual harassment in the workplace is only making a bad situation worse and compounding its own liability," said Bernice Williams Kimbrough, district director for the EEOC's Atlanta District Office. "The EEOC will act to prevent this type of misconduct, and we urge employers to take swift and decisive action in response to reports of sexual harassment and hostile work environments."

The EEOC enforces federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination. Further information about the EEOC is available on its web site at www.eeoc.gov.