Pet store with Phoenix, Scottsdale locations facing sexual harassment, discrimination charges

Special to Independent Newsmedia

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission alleges in a lawsuit filed Friday that Bark If You’re Dirty, a Valley pet store with locations in Phoenix and Scottsdale, violated federal civil rights laws.

The store is charged with discriminating against employees because of sex, failing to prevent and remedy sexual harassment in its stores, and retaliating against employees who opposed the discriminatory and harassing conduct.

According to EEOC’s lawsuit, a male manager and a male employee at Bark If You’re Dirty allegedly subjected female employees to constant sexual harassment, including making inappropriate sexual comments about female customers and employees, physically touching female employees without their consent, showing female employees naked photos, and sexually propositioning female employees.

Female employees complained about this harassment to management on multiple occasions, the lawsuit claims, only for management to ignore the complaints and fail to take corrective action. Bark If You’re Dirty also allegedly retaliated against some female employees by terminating them after they complained about sexual harassment.

This alleged conduct violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits sex discrimination, sexual harassment and retaliation against employees who oppose the harassment.

The EEOC is seeking permanent injunctive relief prohibiting Bark If You’re Dirty from discriminating against employees because of sex, harassment and retaliation in the future, lost wages, compensatory and punitive damages, and other relief.

Visit https://www.eeoc.gov/sexual-harassment for information about sexual harassment.

The EEOC’s Phoenix District Office has jurisdiction over complaints in Arizona, Colorado, Utah, Wyoming and part of New Mexico.