On August 5, 2015, a federal jury awarded $11.9 million dollars to Danielle Rennenger. It is the first of five sexual harassment lawsuits filed against Toy Quest and affiliated companies in 2010 to be resolved. According to the lawsuit, Rennenger and other female employees were subjected to constant verbal harassment that sometimes turned physical. When she complained, Rennenger was fired.
The jury awarded Rennenger nearly $83,000 in lost wages and $1.8 million for emotional distress. It also awarded $10 million in punitive damages.
Although many work environments have improved for women, sexual harassment in the workplace is still far too common.
According to Rennenger’s lawsuit, she and the other women she worked with were called “sluts” and “whores” on a daily basis. The name-calling is bad enough, but the harassment went further. According to the suit, Rennenger’s direct supervisor grabbed her head and pushed it into his crotch. On another occasion one of her female coworkers was forced to sit on a male coworker’s lap.
The verdict sends a strong message to the companies involved and all employers.
If you have been a victim of sexual harassment in the workplace, please call the New Jersey sexual harassment attorneys of Lenzo & Reis, LLC, at (973) 845-9922 or email us today for a free case evaluation.