The Hawaii office of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filed suit against three related tour companies last week alleging sexual harassment, retaliation and constructive discharge.  The lawsuit names Discovering Hidden Hawaii Tours, Inc., Hawaii Tours and Transportation, Inc. and Big Kahuna Luau, Inc. as defendants in a complaint asserting that the president of Discovering Hidden Hawaii Tours engaged in a pattern or practice of sexually harassing young male employees for more than a decade.

 

The complaint alleges that young male workers were subject to multiple acts of sexual harassment. Some received sex party invitations and were shown pornographic videos and photos by the company president.  Others were required to show the president their private parts to obtain employment.  Once employed, some workers were required to engage in sexual acts with him in order to receive additional employment opportunities.  The complaint further alleges that the company took no corrective action after employees complained.  Some workers were subjected to retaliation for reporting the misconduct, while others were constructively discharged after concluding that their only recourse was to resign their employment.

 

The lawsuit alleges that the alleged misconduct violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.  The EEOC seeks back pay, compensatory and punitive damages for a class of affected individuals, as well as injunctive relief intended to prevent any future discrimination and harassment in the workplace.  The lawsuit is part of the agency's effort to prevent workplace harassment through systemic litigation, which is one of the six national priorities identified by its Strategic Enforcement Plan (SEP).