Recent workplace sexual-harassment cases involving Citigroup and several EEOC enforcement actions are an important reminder that employees do not have to tolerate harassment, intimidation, or retaliation on the job.
For example, in January 2026, a former Citigroup managing director sued the bank, alleging sexual harassment by a senior executive and claiming the company mishandled her complaints. More recently, the EEOC announced sexual-harassment settlements involving DHL Supply Chain, Fresh Venture Foods/Gold Coast Packing/Babé Farms, and McDonald’s franchisee Arch Fellow North. In these cases, the agency required not only monetary payments but also changes to reporting, training, and complaint procedures.
For employees, these cases matter because they show a basic truth: sexual harassment is not just “bad behavior” or “office drama.” It can be unlawful discrimination. Under the various federal, state, and local employment laws, sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination. That includes unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature when it affects your job, is used in employment decisions, or creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work environment.
What should employees understand about their rights?
First, you have the right to work in an environment free from unlawful sexual harassment. That protection applies whether the conduct comes from a supervisor, co-worker, or, in some circumstances, even a customer or third party. Federal law also protects employees from harassment that becomes a hostile work environment, not just explicit quid-pro-quo demands.
Second, you have the right to report harassment. Employees should complain internally through HR, a supervisor, a manager, or any reporting channel the employer provides. In some of the recent EEOC cases, the settlements specifically required employers to create or reinforce multiple avenues for complaints, which underscores how important accessible reporting channels are supposed to be.
Third, you have the right to be free from retaliation for speaking up. An employer generally may not fire you, demote you, cut your hours, isolate you, discipline you unfairly, harass you further, or otherwise punish you because you reported discrimination, participated in an investigation, or supported someone else’s complaint. Retaliation is often one of the biggest practical fears employees face, and it is itself prohibited by anti-discrimination laws – whether under federal laws such as Title VII, or state or local laws such as the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination, the New York State Human Rights Law, or the New York City Human Rights Law.
What the recent cases show
The Citigroup lawsuit is significant because it reflects a pattern employees often describe: alleged harassment followed by a complaint process they believe was ineffective, biased, or even weaponized against them. Of course, at this stage, the allegations , and Citi has contested them, but the case highlights a real concern many workers have—namely, whether reporting misconduct will actually protect them or instead put their own careers at risk.
Meanwhile, in DHL Supply Chain, the EEOC announced a $640,000 settlement and said the decree required training for managers, supervisors, and HR personnel on preventing harassment and retaliation and on investigating complaints.
In the Fresh Venture Foods/Gold Coast Packing/Babé Farms case, the EEOC announced a $900,000 settlement over allegations that female workers were subjected to years of verbal and physical sexual harassment, including groping, unwanted advances, and comments, along with retaliation claims.
And in the Arch Fellow North McDonald’s franchise case, the EEOC announced an $80,000 settlement and said the employer would be required to post notices informing workers of their right to be free from sexual harassment, offer multiple complaint channels, and report allegations to the agency during the decree period.
The Takeaway:
Employers are expected not only to refrain from harassment, but also to maintain systems that let employees report misconduct safely and have those complaints addressed seriously.
What employees should do if harassment happens
If you are experiencing sexual harassment at work, start by documenting what happened. Keep a contemporaneous record of dates, times, locations, what was said or done, who witnessed it, and any messages or emails connected to the conduct. Preserve texts, screenshots, chat messages, performance reviews, and any communications related to your complaint or changes in your treatment after reporting.
Next, review your employer’s handbook or harassment policy and follow the reporting procedure where it is safe to do so. If the harasser is your supervisor, use another reporting channel if one exists. Many policies allow complaints to HR, another manager, a hotline, or a designated compliance contact. The fact that recent EEOC settlements required multiple complaint avenues reinforces that employees should not be boxed into reporting only to the wrongdoer or to one gatekeeper.
Also pay attention to what happens after you report. If your schedule changes, duties are reduced, you are suddenly written up, excluded, transferred, threatened, or pushed out after making a complaint, those facts may matter. Retaliation claims are often built from that sequence. Federal guidance specifically protects employees who oppose discrimination or participate in investigations.
A final word for employees
Too many workers still second-guess themselves. They wonder whether what happened was “serious enough,” whether they are overreacting, or whether reporting will only make things worse. The law does not require employees to silently endure unlawful harassment to keep a paycheck. Recent cases in the news show that these problems arise in major financial institutions, logistics operations, agriculture, and fast-food workplaces alike.
If something feels wrong, take it seriously. Learn your company’s reporting process. Preserve evidence. Report the conduct where appropriate. And remember: employees have the right to complain about unlawful harassment and the right to be free from retaliation for doing so.
If you believe you have been a victim of sexual harassment, don’t delay- contact Erdal Employment Law, LLC today!
This post is for general informational purposes and is not legal advice. No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey.