Mason County Forest Products will pay $900,000 to settle a Sexual Harassment Case. The parent company of the Shelton lumber mill agreed to pay two former employees who alleged they were repeatedly sexually harassed and retaliated against by male employees, including management. A news release from the Blankenship Law Firm says the former employees, Debbie Bernsten and Lorrie Haskins, charged that they were subjected to sexually abusive behavior, including abusers maintaining pornography and sexual graffiti in the unisex porta-potties, harassing the women with the use of sex toys, making sexually charged comments and insults, simulating masturbation behind the victims, and engaging in physically threatening conduct such as locking the women in the porta-potties. The women also alleged that although management was well aware of the misconduct, they failed to address it or discipline the harassers and instead retaliated against the women. An investigation by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission found upper management ignored widespread hostility to the women and their supervisor made it clear he didn't want women on his crew. The sawmill ceased operation last year, but the settlement requires the parent company to do special training at any new mill it opens in the next three years. The settlement ends the suit which was set to go to trial in U.S. District Court in November.

IMAGE courtesty of Nodar Kherkheulidze