Foot Locker to Pay $90K in PA Harassment Case

April 1, 2008 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - The Foot Locker sportswear retail chain has agreed to settle a sexual harassment and retaliation lawsuit filed on behalf of a former Philadelphia-area cashier for $90,000.

William C. Martucci , a Foot Locker attorney, told the Philadelphia Inquirer the firm denied wrongdoing in the case involving Jeleana J. James whom the suit said was 20 when the harassment and workplace retaliation occurred. However, “there was a desire to improve the process,” and so the company agreed to institute training for managers and assistant managers at 13 Philadelphia-area stores, Martucci told the newspaper.

According to the suit,James was sexually harassed and groped at a suburban Philadelphia store. When she complained, she was unfairly disciplined, demoted to part-time, and ultimately fired, the complaint alleged.

In addition to the payment to James, the settlement agreement calls for the company to institute a variety of new procedures to make it easier for employees to bring harassment or discrimination complaints and education efforts about the company’s anti-discrimination policies.

The settlement agreement is available here .

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