Facts & Allegations
$400,000.00 – Jane Doe v. United Parcel Service, Inc. (“UPS”) et al. [Sexual Harassment]
Case:
Jane Doe v. UPS
Court:
Superior Court of California, San Diego (Case No. 37-2024-00005213-CU-OE-NC)
Date:
August 26, 2024
Facts and Allegations:
The following allegations formed the basis of Plaintiff’s complaint: A 22 year-old female UPS warehouse worker was sexually harassed by her male supervisors and coworkers, John Shots, Chris McMahon, Christian Mahaffa, and Steven Praught. She was consistently subjected to sexually aggressive comments from these male employees, including, but not limited to the following:
- “Your boyfriend would be very upset if he knew what you were wearing to work today;”
- “Your figure looks nice today;”
- “Have you been working out?” and
- “cover up” and “put on a jacket”
- asked whether her “breasts got in the way” when she picked up boxes.
- Sent social media messages indicating they wanted to have sex with her;
- told “I can see your breasts through your shirt;”
- asked “What color is your sports bra?”
- called a “f**ckin whore.”
- called a “porn star”
- told she only has a job because she has sex with male UPS EEs.
- told “Don’t be leaving your dirt condoms on my pin.”;
- asked “Was Raul one of your hoes? Just wondering. I hope I would have been before him lol.”;
- referred to as “Pussy.”
- told she was incapable of working at UPS
These male employees and supervisors also engaged in sexually harassing conduct toward Ms. Taverner, including:
- Stalking her social media posts;
- Circulating throughout UPS photos of Ms. Taverner that were photoshopped to falsely appear as though they were fully nude photos of her;
- Circulating false rumors that they had had sex with the plaintiff;
- Refusing to investigate any of her complaints; and
- Refusing her requests for transfers and promotion opportunities.
The plaintiff complained numerous times about the sexual harassment to her supervisors, including at least three complaints to supervisor Christian Mahaffa, at least twice to Seteven Praught. In response, they refused to investigate the matter and informed her not to go to HR about it. She was further told, things would be “easier [for her] if [she] could just blend in and be quiet about those matters since they are in charge of you.” Still, the plaintiff complained again in writing to her shop seward and union representative, along with at lest three other supervisors, stating: “I have delt with sexual harassment from multiple employees at UPS. From management to drivers to preloaders. …” Yet, nothing substantive was ever done.
In addition to the foregoing, other female employees who had themselves been victims of sexual harassment also complained to and about these same male employees and supervisors.
After a fast-paced discovery effort and motion practice by Hogue & Belong, UPS agreed to mediate and ultimately settle the case for $400,000.00.