Lollicup USA, Inc. Defeats Sexual Harassment Lawsuit Of Former Employee
SAN BERNARDINO, Calif., Jan. 14, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Long before the advent of the #MeToo Movement, California-based manufacturer Lollicup USA, Inc. had its own "zero tolerance" policy for harassment in the workplace. This policy is made known to new employees on their first day of work and emphatically repeated through trainings, handouts, posters, videos, and other educational materials each year. Indeed, Lollicup takes the issue of sexual harassment very seriously.
Lollicup also takes its reputation very seriously, and will not give in to unjust claims of wrongdoing – including those of sexual harassment. While many employers find it easier (and often cheaper) to "buyoff" claims of sexual misconduct instead of challenging them in court, Lollicup refuses to do so. The recent lawsuit filed against Lollicup by former employee T. Solorzano is a perfect example of this.
In December 2016 – and after working at Lollicup for only eight months – Solorzano filed a lawsuit against Lollicup asserting a laundry list of claims including sexual harassment, disability discrimination, violations of the California Labor Code, and wrongful termination, among others. Lollicup immediately conducted an extensive investigation and concluded that none of Solorzano's claims against it were justified.
As part of its investigation, Lollicup also learned that Solorzano had an extensive history of suing (or threatening to sue) former employers and others for claims similar to those directed at Lollicup. And, instead of challenging Solorzano's claims at trial before a jury of her peers, prior defendants opted to settle for an undisclosed amount of money. Lollicup chose a different path and refused to cave to Solorzano's demands.
In August 2018, the lawsuit went to trial before Judge Thomas Garza in the Superior Court of California in San Bernardino County. During the five-day trial, Solorzano asked for more than $900,000 in damages. This request would go nowhere; at the conclusion of the trial, Lollicup was vindicated and all of Solorzano's claims against Lollicup were rejected – including the claims for sexual harassment.
Not only did Lollicup successfully defend the claims, but on January 9, 2019, Judge Garza awarded Lollicup costs of $38,179 against Solorzano for defending the suit.
The stance that Lollicup took in response to Solorzano's claims could not have been any clearer; it will not be pressured to pay out frivolous claims, including those involving unsubstantiated allegations of sexual harassment.
Established in 2000, Lollicup® USA, Inc. is a premier beverage and disposable goods supplier and manufacturer for the foodservice industry. Lollicup is the parent company for four brands: Karat®, Karat Earth®, Tea Zone®, and Total Clean™. They have five locations throughout the United States to better serve customers. In total, Lollicup provides more than 400 jobs across the country. For more information, please visit www.lollicupusa.com or email [email protected]
SOURCE Lollicup USA, Inc.
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