KENNEBUNK, Maine — An Alfred woman is suing the parent company of Tom's of Maine alleging she was sexually harassed and bullied at facilities in Kennebunk and Sanford for years and managers ignored it, creating a hostile work environment that prompted her to resign.
Sharron Desrochers filed a civil suit in U.S. District Court in Portland Wednesday, naming Colgate-Palmolive Co. Inc., the parent company of Tom's of Maine.
Desrochers claims sex discrimination, a hostile work environment, retaliation and pay disparity, violations of the Maine Human Rights Act and Maine Equal Pay Law.
According to court documents, Desrochers was hired through a staffing agency in 2016 and was first subjected to unwanted sexual advances by a supervisor the next year. She claims the supervisor retaliated by issuing unjustified warnings when she rejected the advances.
Desrochers claims that when she was hired full time in 2019, two co-workers began sexually harassing and bullying her, using "derogatory and sexually charged comments."
According to the suit, Desrochers reported the harassment to her supervisors, human resources department and the plant manager, who "did not take her complaints seriously, did not investigate, and took no action to prevent or address harassment."
Instead, she says, she was disciplined for answering truthfully when asked whether her co-workers falsified documents and committed other offenses.
In January 2020, Desrochers complained to Colgate-Palmolive human resources officials, who investigated and issued a report in which witnesses corroborated her claims, the suit states.
"Rather than address her complaints, Defendant disciplined her, denied her a rate of pay equal to that of her male co-workers, denied her requests to transfer away from her abusers, and fostered an environment in which [one co-worker[ felt comfortable physically assaulting his female co-worker multiple times in one day," the suit alleges.
The alleged assaults prompted Desrochers to resign in September 2020.
Desrochers claims she was paid $2 to $4 per hour less than her male counterparts.
She seeks back pay and lost income from her last day of work, Oct. 2, 2020, with interest; compensatory damages of as much as $500,000 for mental anguish, harm to reputation and other complaints; and punitive damages.
Attorneys for Desrochers and Colgate-Palmolive did not immediately return requests for comment.