Beach plaster company faces harassment suit

By Philip Walzer
The Virginian-Pilot
© July 30, 2010

NORFOLK

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission sued a Virginia Beach plastering company, alleging that a former worker experienced sexual harassment and discrimination based on national origin, the agency said Thursday.

The worker faced "unwelcome sexual conduct" and was called "a stupid Salvadoran" by a foreman at Tidewater Plastering and Drywall Co., the agency said in a news release.

The suit was not listed late Thursday afternoon in an online database of federal court cases. But Lynette Barnes, the regional attorney for the agency's Charlotte District Office, which oversees Virginia, said it had been filed Thursday.

A call to Tidewater Plastering was not returned late Thursday.

According to the agency, the foreman told the employee, Jorge Calderon, that they would have to engage in sex for Calderon "to work at Tidewater Plastering's next job site." Other instances of harassment included "calling Calderon 'sexy,' blowing him kisses and caressing his hands and back," the agency said.

When Calderon complained to the company's president about the foreman, the agency said, he was told nothing could be done. Calderon subsequently quit.

The harassment, the agency said, was between September 2008 and February 2009, when Calderon worked for Tidewater Plastering at MacArthur Center in Norfolk and Norfolk Naval Station.

The suit was filed in U.S. District Court in Norfolk, the agency said, and seeks back pay, damages and an injunction requiring the company to take steps to avoid discrimination.

Philip Walzer, (757) 222-3864, phil.walzer@pilotonline.com

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Right to work

Submitted by PCinSoCal on Fri, 07/30/2010 at 4:12 pm.

The way our government protects foreign nationals these days, I wonder if this fellow was even in the US legally.

OK Archie Bunker

Submitted by pasquotanked1958 on Sat, 07/31/2010 at 9:04 am.

In the context of a sexual harassment suit I can't see how this man's immigration status is at all relevant. Your comment is not only not germane to the issue at hand; it's cruel and insensitive. It's always easier to blame the victim than to put yourself in his place, but what if it was you or a member of your family on the receiving end of such treatment. Should I then question whether you or your family member had any legal right to employment, or should I be concerned that someone's rights and possibly their safety are in jeopardy?