Resolved complaint (132) about sexual harassment in employment

About the complaint

The complainant worked as a security supervisor with the respondent hotel. She alleged that from the commencement of her employment, the security director sexually harassed her, including by making comments and sending her messages indicating he had feelings for her, showing up at her home unannounced, and buying her flowers. The complainant said she shared an office with the security director and claimed that he regularly asked her to kiss and hug him and on several occasions attempted to kiss and touch her. She alleged that when she rejected his advances and asked him to stop, he told her he could “get rid of her” anytime he wanted. 

The security director claimed the alleged conduct was consensual and that he and the complainant remained friends. The hotel said it could not be vicariously liable for the alleged conduct. The hotel said it had relevant measures in place to prevent sexual harassment. The hotel said that once it became aware of the alleged conduct, it undertook an investigation which resulted in the termination of the security director's employment.

The complaint was resolved with an agreement that the hotel pay the complainant $68,000 as general damages.

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