Surviving the Workday

I love this sexual harassment story that ends well (perhaps because so few don’t–I can’t recall any that have):

Rachel Spicuglia, a five-year employee of Chili’s Restaurant (owned by Brinker International), reported to her manager the escalating sexual harassment she was receiving from the cooks, which had culminated in an assault that morning in the walk-in refrigerator, the manager asked Rachel if the offending employee had gotten a “full cup” when he had grabbed her breasts. Shocked that the manager would joke in such way, Rachel protested that it wasn’t funny, but he insisted that it was actually information that he needed to know.

Rachel ended up taking a leave of absence, filing EEOC Charge of Discrimination on August 12, but she continued to work with Chili’s to arrange transfer to another store. The transfer was approved, but Rachel’s calls to the store manager were never returned, and on December 9, Rachel received a letter from her health insurance, saying that her medical benefits were denied, due to the fact that she was terminated from her job. Two weeks before Christmas, without any warning, and still waiting for the EEOC to review her complaint.

The particular combination of firing her in absentia right before Christmas and firing her supposedly because of a sexual harassment complaint is an all time classic. But here’s part of what happened next.

 Chili’s has reinstated Rachel Spicuglia, as a full-time employee, with medical benefits and all, at the location of her choosing. After the Huffington Post piece about Rachel’s case was posted at 12noon, Brinker International quickly backpedaled, commenting less than four hours later and contacting Rachel’s attorney to state that the letter Rachel received was in error, and apologizing for the confusion and emphasizing how seriously the corporation takes sexual harassment.

Now if I could only get that stupid Baby Back Ribs song out of my head….