~ Woman sexually harassed on the job for 5 years ~
PHILIPSBURG–On July 18, Supermarket Le Grand Marché (LGM) fired 37-year-old woman D.H. for threatening to kill her supervisor. The woman was immediately suspended by the company without pay. D.H. hired attorney at law Cor Merx and filed a sexual harassment case against her former employer.
The Court of First Instance ordered the company to continue paying D.H.’s salary until her employment contract has formally ended. She has worked as a produce handler since 2007 in the Cole Bay branch. According to the judge who rendered the verdict, LGM is a good employer and should focus more time and effort on dealing with employees’ complaints.
D.H. claims that on July 11, she tried to help a co-worker who was being harassed by the same supervisor accused by her as sexually harassing her. She helped the co-worker by doing her work and not hers; this infuriated the supervisor who went to management for the employee. D.H. had enough of the abuse and threatened to kill her supervisor.
The supervisor rushed to management and in a letter to the employee terminated her employment at LGM. The letter stated, “Today, Monday July 11, you went in the warehouse and told your manager, Arun William, that he needed to speak to your supervisor because you were going to snap him, kill him and that you had told your husband already you would be going to Pointe Blanche prison. You said all of this in front of three to four managers, warehouse attendants and several suppliers. This behaviour is unacceptable.”
On July 18, she received another letter informing her, “After careful consideration and extensive investigation into this matter, your services with Publix Supermarket BV are hereby terminated with immediate effect. Making threats against anyone is a serious concern and in many places considered a crime. That kind of behaviour is strictly prohibited by this company. You will be paid your full and final salary,” the letter stated.
The Court finds that the picture the plaintiff paints of years of harassment and sexual intimidation by a supervisor on the work floor and the deafness of higher management towards her complains are serious and worrisome.
D.H. reportedly informed the Court that for years she asked to be transferred to another department in the store, however, management dismissed the claim as if she was making up the confrontations between the supervisor and herself. LGM denied that the employee filed complaints with management and claimed that they were unaware of any friction between the two persons in question.
After D.H.’s dismissal, the biggest concern was to continue paying her loan she has, she pleaded with management to continue paying her salary, however, management terminated her contract with no retroactive payment. The judge ordered that LGM pay her August salary until the proper procedures are followed to dismiss her. D.H. earned a salary of NAF. 1,650 monthly.
Source: The Daily Herald https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/60960-le-grand-marche-ordered-to-compensate-ex-employee
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