What were they thinking? Boss charged with pulling down worker’s pants
January 15, 2010 by Jim GiulianoPosted in: Behavior, Complaint investigation, In this week's e-newsletter, Latest News & Views
We occasionally report workplace behavior that’s so odd that it sounds made up. Except it’s not. Today’s story: The company president who got sued for pulling down a worker’s pants.
The Wichita Falls (TX) Times Record News reports that a local company, Crowell Contract and Design, Inc., came to an out-of-court agreement with the U.S. Equal Opportunity Commission after the agency filed a complaint against company president Timmy Christopher for pulling down the pants of a female worker while other workers looked on.
The employer agreed to pay the employee $21,000 and take “corrective action” to ensure there are no repeat incidents — which sounds as if it wouldn’t be all that complicated, since all it requires is that the president refrain from pulling down employees’ pants.
Among the allegations filed in EEOC documents: President Christopher occasionally would stroll behind worker Deanna Collins and tug at her pants, until one day when he finally decided to pull them down. Collins resigned and filed a complaint with the EEOC.
All together now: What was he thinking?
Tags: complaint, Crowell Contract and Design, eeoc, Inc.
January 18th, 2010 at 12:55 pm
This is just another case where you have a company president who does not need to be a company president and where the same thinks he is above, out of reach of and immune to our legal system. I feel they got by easy on $21,000. Should have been more like $2,100,000.
January 18th, 2010 at 1:07 pm
Like MMAN can’t belive he got by so easy. This is such and egregious error on the part of the PRESIDENT of the Company that the claimant really should not have settled. I’m sure the courts would have awarded her a lot more money!!
January 18th, 2010 at 1:35 pm
I totally agree…the company got off easy. She deserved so much more.
January 18th, 2010 at 2:29 pm
Pants on the ground,
pants on the ground,
(President) lookin’ like a fool with
(her) pants on the ground……
January 18th, 2010 at 2:58 pm
Could there be more to the story? Why in the world would she settle so cheaply?
January 18th, 2010 at 3:00 pm
LES-
LOL…That is hilarious!
January 18th, 2010 at 3:06 pm
Thanks for the laugh, Les!!!
January 18th, 2010 at 5:24 pm
There does seem to be some context missing in the report. The backstory would seem to be an interesting tidbit if it could be discovered. Was he looking for hidden devices for copping company secrets? It would be nice to hear more details.
January 19th, 2010 at 11:34 am
Happened to someone in my family, a male who had his pants pulled down by a female manager in the department.
January 19th, 2010 at 1:27 pm
I would be absolutey horrified!! How old are we? This isn’t kindergarten…I’d like to know a bit more about this story too…I agree, got off way to easy!
January 19th, 2010 at 2:53 pm
Not only should the figure have been higher, but the president should have been forced to hold talks within the community as to the importance of pants being maintained around the waist. In fact, he should be forced to become educated in the history of pants and their importance in our society. I remember that tv show where the judge would give out “creative” sentences to match the crime…would love to hear this one.
January 20th, 2010 at 10:51 am
Les. LOL that is funny must have been watching AMERICAN IDOL. so funny lol
January 21st, 2010 at 2:09 pm
Devil’s advocate here: Why did she allow him to “tug” on her pants more than once? By not nipping it the first time she allowed this behavior. So if he slapped her once and then again and again, oh so playfully, would she finally quit only after he knocked her cold? The whole thing is weird.
January 25th, 2010 at 10:22 am
Wow, people are clueless!
You can find a little more here, I had to look this one up:
http://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/newsroom/release/1-11-10.cfm
I am guessing the amount of settlement could be a year’s wages, that would be a year at $10/hr or so.
AC
January 25th, 2010 at 2:51 pm
Thanks AC for the link. Not much more added to the story though. What do you do when the highest figure in the company is the offender? You have other internal resources but who is going to write up the company president? I look to hear more reports about this company in the EEOC headlines as this type of locker room behavior is prevalent and deep within this organization. A measly $21,000 settlement doesn’t give me the feeling that the EEOC meant it and that the women’s best interest were considered. I wonder how hard it will be for her to find that next $10 an hour job in a town that now knows about her turning in the company president?
January 25th, 2010 at 4:30 pm
Although this story is funny, it doe’s show how some executives view their employees. If this had happened to me, I would have punched his lights out and dealt with the consequences! This type of behavior is disgraceful.
January 25th, 2010 at 4:41 pm
That president should thank his lucky stars that the employee was not ME. I agree that $21,000 was not nearly enough.
Diane, I see your point. But in a small company (as I suspect this one is), likely a small town, likely a young employee who badly needs her job – she was probably quite intimidated and he knew it. Many reasons why she may have let it pass. Like I said, he’s lucky it was not ME, because I would surely have NIPPED it – and may still have filed with the EEOC. I’m glad she filed.
What a jerk.
January 25th, 2010 at 5:06 pm
LOL Les! As soon as I saw the headline all I could think of was the pants on the ground song.
Can’t believe an executive would be so stupid. What in the heck was he thinking?!
January 25th, 2010 at 5:14 pm
I’m amazed by those of you playing devil’s advocate or wondering what his motivation was. I cannot in my wildest imagination think of a scenario where it would be appropriate to pull someone’s pants down in front of coworkers (or at all for that matter)???
January 27th, 2010 at 2:49 pm
I’m with Stephanie and Diane, I can only surmise that she “allowed” the behavior because he is the President of the company. Doesn’t excuse the behavior, and in addition to Stepahnie’s statement … in the wildest of imaginations can’t think of what the heck this guy was thinking!! The employer got away easy …. way too easy with the pittance of settlement the employee got. The company should have paid some sort of fine as well. And last, but not least, Les …. pretty funny, gave a new twist to General Larry Platt’s audition … truly thanks for the laugh.
January 27th, 2010 at 3:02 pm
Oh no, well I would have been out of the $21,000 then and there, because after I emptied a can a mase and clocked him with my stilettos, my husband would have finished him off and we’d be “in” court for totally different set of circumstances! Not only would the president’s pants have been on the ground, he would be on the ground with them! haha
January 27th, 2010 at 3:09 pm
Excellent Les! I love it!
January 27th, 2010 at 5:10 pm
Robin, that was great. @Les – forgot to say lol to you!
January 28th, 2010 at 9:36 am
Diane –
I worked for a man who would do ’stupid’ things that in the end got him sued. Now, it was a small company, and he was the OWNER. He made very FEW comments to me – one reason is because I would get ‘irritated’ and tell him, I didn’t appreciate that. Of course he would say, “I was only kidding. I didn’t mean to make you upset.” and we’d both let it go at that. Others I worked with were not as vocal – and he continued to make ’stupid’ comments that in the end got him to court. (Can’t give you the outcome as I moved across the country just after the first papers were served.)
But, sometimes, you just don’t know WHAT to say when someone does something ’stupid’ and you aren’t quite sure how to handle it when it is the top person at the company.
January 28th, 2010 at 1:54 pm
I have to say I am a little disappointed to see a comment putting the onus on the “victim”, i.e. why did she “allow it”. I remember one of my first jobs in a department store, when I had started college (eons ago), there was a general manager who would walk up behind the young “co-eds” and give them a “squeeze” where ever his hand happen to land. No amount of, stop, I do not appreciate this, knock it off, even pushing him away, etc. had any effect. I cannot help but wonder if this women encountered the same thing. Although sexual harassment is illegal, this type of articles points out–unfortunately, how little progress has been made in some areas.
January 28th, 2010 at 3:37 pm
This sounds like an episode of “The Office.” That show hurts to watch sometimes if you’re in HR, but at least you know it’s not real. It’s amazing what the boss can get away with while everyone is left standing speechless!
January 28th, 2010 at 3:44 pm
HR Girly – What does one say? Good question.
What would one say if she were touched by a teacher or coach? Since we were 8 years old we were told what to say if we were approached in an unwelcomed way. Even if the company has 4 people in it you either tolerate it or don’t. What if it was name calling? What if he said she was fat and called her “fatty” in front of co-workers? Tolerate or not? If it’s such a small company then it should come as no surprise that this would eventually happen. In every company I have been in (and there’s been a few in my long career) I knew who the trouble makers were before or when I met them. I’ve been groped, but not more than once. I’m not special, just normal (right?)
Merlynn – Really??? I tolerate flirting from those I flirt with but if they cross the line I tell them. If they don’t get it then HR or a manager (or another grown-up) should be consulted for the next step. I’ve never been told by HR to “get over it” or “that’s just the way Joe is.” By the way, I started my comment with “devil’s advocate” for a reason – I think the guy is slimy and there is a difference between play and abuse. I just think there might be a reason she was only awarded $21K and not 5 Xs that amount. Two sides, you know?
January 30th, 2010 at 10:54 am
Unacceptable behavior!
Please tell me that Timmy Christopher is not the owner of Crowell Contract and Design, Inc.This kind of story does not spot light a professional, respectable, or reputable company. This is how you treat an employee, (for what ever reason)? Makes me think what kind of company is he running?
February 1st, 2010 at 3:08 pm
Lori, Mr. Christopher is “co-owner” which is just as bad. I still can’t believe how “lightly” this case was treated!!
February 9th, 2010 at 10:05 am
Seems a bit outrageous that the bully was allowed to continue his poor actions until they got that bad.
A manager here slapped by behind so hard it left a welt (not just a mark, a raised welt) – everyone else in the room laughed.
What should have happened to her?
March 15th, 2010 at 3:15 pm
I would like to shed some light on this story…….The antics of the President are not without fault, however, it is a well known fact that she allowed them to happen time and time again and allowed it while laughing, enjoying it, and joking with him all at the same time. She did not think anything was wrong with it…….unfortunately. However, the statement of him “pulling her pants down” is not completely accurate. The pants never actually came down and it was never an issue until she decided she needed some $$. Sad but true. So as the devil’s advocate, it is a sad story. Both are at fault and in the end, she got her $$ and he got demoted from his job as president. And last, she was not paid by the employer-CCDI, she was pd. out of pocket by the man who wronged her.