Pigs poke their snouts through a fence on a farm in Buckhart, Ill. on June 28, 2012. There is extensive evidence that pigs are as intelligent and social as dogs. (AP Photo/M. Spencer Green, File)
Midwest Farms, which operates a large hog operation in Colorado, is facing a lawsuit from federal officials over allegations of sexual harassment and retaliation against female employees.
The US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission sued the Burlington-based business after allegations that a male manager entered the women's dressing room at least three times without knocking.
People who work closely with animals must follow a biosecurity plan that requires them to shower and wear company-provided work clothes.
Another male manager regularly subjected women to vulgar sexual language and sexual advances, according to the lawsuit. The EEOC said a woman was fired after telling management and human resources that she had been sexually harassed and given bad schedules and jobs because she rejected a manager's sexual advances.
The federal agency said in a statement Friday that such alleged conduct violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits employment discrimination based on sex, including sexual harassment, and retaliation for complaints about it.
A lawsuit filed Thursday in the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado seeks Midwest Farms to establish policies and practices to prevent sexual harassment retaliation and to require training for all managers, supervisors and employees. The EEOC is also seeking damages covering the women's economic losses as well as damages for “emotional pain and suffering.”
An employee at Midwest Farms in Burlington said Friday that owner Dave Amundson was out of the office until next week and was not available to speak. A request was made for comments from other managers.
The Midwest Farms website he says the Burlington operation is on 9,000 acres and can accommodate a herd of 21,000 sows. The company produces hogs for distribution to other producers, primarily in the Midwest.
The Colorado Secretary of State's office lists other business locations in Niwot and Wiley.
The EEOC said it went through a conciliation process with Midwest Farms to resolve the complaints, but no agreement was reached. The agency then filed a lawsuit.
