The Boston Globe reports on how Michaelann Ferro, a Trader Joe's employee in Brookline, Massachusetts, fed up with sexual harassment by an older co-worker and seeing her complaints dismissed by her manager as a "he said, she said" situation (despite the fact that she had witnesses), decided to take her case to social media.
Here's how the Globe describes the situation:
"Ferro and a group of current and former fellow employees took to social media. A petition on coworker.org, signed by more than 7,000 people, calls on people to stand against sexual harassment at the store and asks other Trader Joe’s workers to share their stories. An Instagram post that begins 'Did you know there’s a predator at your local Trader Joe’s?' provides a script urging customers to call corporate headquarters and ask about protocols.
"The goal, along with getting the alleged harasser fired, is to strengthen the company’s sexual harassment policies."
According to the story, "The man is now reportedly working at a different Trader Joe’s, although Ferro said management never informed her he had transferred, or how it was decided. Trader Joe’s would not confirm that the man was working at another store or address any of the points raised by the women."
In fact, Trader Joe's "declined to address the situation in detail but said the company has a robust process for reporting and investigating allegations."
- KC's View:
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Well, maybe not so much.
Good for Ferro. If she were my kid, I'd be proud of here for refusing to accept the status quo as defined by her employer, and what sounds like management malpractice by her boss. (The creep apparently got transferred. I'd love to know what happened to the store manager.)
Maybe Trader Joe's hasn't gotten the memo, but it is no longer remotely acceptable to dismiss such complaints, especially when they've been corroborated by witnesses. It never was acceptable, but these days, it can't be hidden … employees are empowered, customers will get angry, and companies have to get their act together.
This crap festers unless attention is paid and action is taken. No excuses, no delays.
I've said it before and I'll say it again. Companies have to send a message to everyone in their organizations, making the point that if they've behaved in ways that would bring shame to them, their families and their companies (or would bring shame if they had that capacity - we all know that there are people out there who are incapable of feeling that emotion), it would be better if they would just leave … because when they are found out, they will be dismissed.
