EEOC Sues Simply Slims for Sexual Harassment

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Simply Slims, L.L.C., and or Dixie Chicken, L.L.C. d/b/a Slim Chickens in Hot Springs, Arkansas, violated federal law when it subjected a class of teens and young adults to sexual harassment and a sexually hostile work environment, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) charged in a lawsuit filed today.       

According to the EEOC’s lawsuit, a shift manager made inappropriate sexual comments to a young female. The young female immediately reported the comments to the general manager. While receiving notice of the sexual harassment, the company failed to address the harassment and the shift manager continued to harass other young female employees, including teenagers. The shift manager would brush up against the girls intentionally, rub their shoulders, and poke them in inappropriate places. He fondled the breast of one young female, touched one on her bottom, and placed his hand on the inner thigh of another. Eventually, the sexual harassment forced several of the employees to resign.   

Such alleged conduct Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 which prohibits sexual harassment in the workplace. The EEOC filed suit in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Arkansas, Western Division, Civil Action No. 6:23-cv-06090, after first attempting to reach a pre-litigation settlement through its conciliation process. The suit seeks monetary relief in the form of back pay, compensatory and punitive damages, compensation for lost benefits, and an injunction against future discrimination.             

“Sexual harassment of young females in the restaurant industry remains a serious problem and combatting this remains a priority of the EEOC,” said Edmond Sims, acting district director of the EEOC’s Memphis District Office, which has jurisdiction over Arkansas, Tennessee, and portions of Mississippi. “In the present case, the sexual harassment forced several of these young females to resign.”

Slim Chickens is a fast-casual restaurant specializing in wings, tenders, sandwiches, and wraps, headquartered in Fayetteville, Arkansas, and has over 200 locations. Simply Slims, L.L.C. and or Dixie Chicken L.L.C., are franchises with 13 locations in Central Arkansas.

More information about sexual harassment is available at https://www.eeoc.gov/sexual-harassment. Teens and young workers can visit the EEOC’s Youth@Work page to obtain more information about their rights in the workplace visiting https://www.eeoc.gov/youth. 

The EEOC advances opportunity in the workplace by enforcing federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination. More information is available at www.eeoc.gov. Stay connected with the latest EEOC news by subscribing to our email updates.