An Australian woman who worked as a sales manager for IBM has accused the company of ignoring her sexual harassment allegations for two years.
Susan Spiteri is suing the tech giant for $1.1 million. In the United States, people subjected to harassment make use of sexual harassment lawyers to seek damages.
Spiteri began working for IBM in Melbourne in 1999. She was one of their top sales people and loved her job. In 2007, everything changed for her when the company hired a new manager, who was her direct supervisor.
The complaint filed by Spiteri stated that her supervisor subjected her to bullying and sexual harassment for over two years and that it took IBM two years to look into her allegations. During this time her manager would come grope her, rub up against her, put his hand up her dress and even suggested she show her breasts to get more sales.
He would also yell at her and call her names to her customers, who then relayed the information to her. And he would conduct this abusive behavior in front of her colleagues, who took no action on her behalf. IBM denies her allegations.
Employees may find that it takes intervention by a sexual harassment lawyer to cease the abuses they must endure.
Spireti says that the harassment has caused her mental anguish, which led to a breakdown. Through litigation, sexual harassment lawyers can win lawsuits to help people move on and secure their future.
