$240 Million Win for Harassment Victims

May 8th, 2013 by JBWK

An EEOC lawsuit has resulted in a staggering $240 million award to 32 employees of a turkey processing facility in Iowa. (Alas, the company is now defunct, so the likelihood of recovery is slim.)

The mentally disabled employees, who were paid 41 cents an hour and housed in a rodent-infested bunkhouse, were reportedly “abused, harshly disciplined, kicked in the groin, denied bathroom breaks, and were forced to work even when they were sick or injured.” One employee apparently was handcuffed to a bed and left there screaming and crying. The company also denied the employees access to medical care. Eventually, the bunkhouse was condemned as unsafe.

The jury award of $240 million represents $7.5 million for each employee. That stands in addition to $4.3 million in fines the company owes to various state and federal agencies for employment violations.

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