September 18th, 2012
Posted in New York, NY- A former stagehand for the Metropolitan Opera has filed a lawsuit against the company alleging that her male co-workers subjected her to a hostile work environment by sexually harassing her and putting her in physical danger.
Teri Osborne, 53, worked for the company for three years as their only female stagehand, and stated in her federal lawsuit that the harassment began almost immediately.
“They started heckling me immediately, day in, day out and we worked very long days,” Osborne told the New York Post, “They acted like badly-behaved 8 year-old boys.”
The New York Post also reported that her direct supervisor set the tone for other employees when he began calling her a “girl.” Her fellow stagehands would subject her to repeated sexual advances.
Osborne’s career ended when she was pushed to the ground by a coworker, who fell on her. There were no witnesses to the inciden,t but she was left with physical injuries that ended her career. Now she is utilizing the expertise of a sexual harassment attorney to seek compensation.
The New York Post story didn’t state whether Osborne reported the harassment to the Met, which would be the first step in building a strong case. With an effective case, the sexual harassment victim can recover their lost wages and ask for punitive damages for the emotional distress the objects of sexual misconduct often face.
Tags: 8 Year Old Boys, Co Workers, Coworker, Coworkers, Emotional Distress, Federal Lawsuit, Fellow, Harassment Victim, Hostile Work Environment, Metropolitan Opera, New York Post, Physical Danger, Physical Injuries, Punitive Damages, Sexual Advances, Sexual Harassment Attorney, Sexual Misconduct, Stagehand, Supervisor, Wages
