EEOC Sues Cappo Management For Retaliation

Victory Nissan of Dickson Fired Employees for Protesting Sexual Harassment, Federal Agency Charges

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Cappo Management XX, Inc., the owners of a Dickson, Tenn., automobile dealership, violated federal law by firing three employees for protesting sexual harassment, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) charged in a lawsuit it filed on March 5, 2012.

The EEOC’s suit Civil Action No. 3:12-cv-00239, filed in U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee, Nashville Division, alleged that Cappo fired Korie Dunn, Traci Manor and Carolyn Love, salespersons at Victory Nissan of Dickson, because they complained about sexual harassment by their sales manager. After they complained as a group, Cappo placed them on a paid leave of absence for a week. When they returned, Cappo said that it had fired the sales manager after he failed to show up for an interview about their complaints. Cappo then fired them the same day for allegedly poor sales.

Retaliation for complaining about sexual harassment violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The EEOC filed suit after first attempting to reach a pre-litigation settlement through its conciliation process.

“Federal law provides that employees have a right to complain about practices they believe are unlawful without repercussions,” said Katharine W. Kores, director of the EEOC’s Memphis District Office.

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