Balfour Beatty has settled a sexual harassment lawsuit in North Carolina for $80,000 (£60,300), according to the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).
The federal agency launched action against Balfour Beatty Infrastructure Inc in September 2023 after a female truck driver working in Craven County, North Carolina, allegedly faced sexual harassment from several male co-workers.
According to the lawsuit, the driver was subjected to harassment for more than a year, with one colleague asking her to “talk dirty” to him, send pictures of her breasts, and sit on his lap. The colleague is also alleged to have sent her pictures of his penis.
The EEOC also said a Balfour Beatty foreman laughed at the victim when she complained and that male co-workers called her sexually derogatory names on a regular basis, telling her to “shut the f*** up you stupid b****” and that “this is a man’s world [and] if you can’t handle it then go work for Walmart”.
The agency said while it failed to reach a pre-litigation settlement through an “administrative conciliation process” Balfour Beatty Infrastructure Inc had now agreed to settle the case, paying $80,000 in compensation to the affected employee.
It added that as part of the deal, the company agreed “to implement a revised anti-discrimination and harassment policy, to train managers and employees on sexual harassment and retaliation, and to refrain from discriminating against employees because of their sex”.
Melinda Dugas, regional attorney for the EEOC’s Charlotte District office, said: “This case illustrates that employers need to take swift action on employee complaints of sexual harassment and hostile work environments before the conduct escalates. Failure to do so will result in employer liability.”
The lawsuit was filed in the US District Court for the Eastern Division of North Carolina, with EEOC alleging Balfour Beatty had violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act 1964, which protects workers from discrimination and harassment.
Mark Konchar, Balfour Beatty’s US president for civils and managing director of US Rail, said: “We are committed to providing a workplace where everyone feels respected and valued.
“While this matter has been settled, we have no tolerance for unacceptable behavior. We expect all our people to be respectful and inclusive and to hold each other to account. By having a workplace that allows everyone to reach their full potential we will become an even better business.”
