United to pay $321,000 in online sexual harassment and equal opportunity suit
United Airlines agreed to pay $321,000 plus attorney’s fees to settle a sexual harassment lawsuit brought by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, according to a Dec. 20 release by the agency.
The EEOC’s suit alleged that a United captain posted explicit images of a flight attendant without her consent to multiple websites, including her name, home airport and the airline’s tagline “Fly the Friendly Skies.”
The suit alleged that United failed to correct the pilot’s behavior after the flight attendant made numerous complaints and provided substantial evidence of the pilot’s conduct, and that the pilot was allowed to retire with benefits despite the initiation of criminal prosecution by the U.S. attorney’s office under federal internet stalking laws.
Along with a $321,000 payment and attorney fees, the consent decree that resolved the case also requires United to provide notice to United employees of federal protections against sexual harassment and to revise its sexual harassment policies. The consent decree was approved by U.S. District judge Xavier Rodriguez.
Guam AG releases statement on cockfighting ban
The Guam Attorney General’s Office on Dec. 13 released a statement on the federal cockfighting ban with took affect on Dec. 20. The AG’s office said, “Because there is no local basis for criminal action, if the OAG receives any complaints, it will be forwarded to federal law enforcement authorities.”
The federal cockfighting ban is included in the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 — also known as the 2018 Farm Bill — under Section 12616, “Extending Prohibition on Animal Fighting to the Territories,” which amends Section 26 of the Animal Welfare Act. The 2018 Farm Bill was signed into law on Dec. 20, 2018, by President Donald J. Trump.
Guam PFAS case moved to Multidistrict Litigation Court
The Guam Attorney General’s office in a Dec. 20 status report submitted to the governor and legislature of Guam announced that the AG’s suit against the 3M Company, Tyco Fire Products LP, Chemguard Inc., Buckeye Fire Equipment Company, Kidde-Fenwal Inc., National Foam Inc., E.I. Du Point De Nemours and Co. and The Chemours Company over perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances — also known as PFAS — has been moved to the Multidistrict Litigation Court in the District Court of South Carolina.
The suit, which was originally filed in September 2019 in the District Court of Guam, alleges the defendants sold fire-fighting chemicals to various agencies on Guam without fully disclosing environmental and health risks. According to the report, the case is currently in the discovery phase.
Superior Court grants GovGuam motion against Core Tech and Younex
The Guam Superior Court in a Dec. 12 decision granted the Department of Land Management’s motion to compel defendants Core Tech International Corp. and Younex Enterprises Corp. to produce documents for discovery. The court denied DLM’s request that the defendants pay attorney fees.
DLM filed suit against Core Tech and Younex to cancel certificates of title erroneously issued by DLM to the defendants for land allegedly owned by the defendants. The court issued a stay on discovery and motions pending mediation between the plaintiff and defendants, which eventually failed.
Due to the defendants’ failure to file an opposition to the plaintiff’s motion for discovery in a timely manner, the court granted the plaintiff’s motion to compel the defendants to produce documents necessary for discovery. The plaintiff’s request that the defendant pay attorney fees was based on the failure of the plaintiff to file the necessary documents in a timely manner. Guam Waterworks Authority was added to the lawsuit as an intervenor-plaintiff. mbj
