THE settlement negotiations between the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and Imperial Pacific International LLC will continue, according to the minutes of the proceedings held before Magistrate Judge Heather L. Kennedy of the District Court for the NMI.
On Sept. 24, 2019, EEOC sued IPI for sexual harassment and unfair employment practices on behalf of Shirlene Loh, a VIP hostess, and other similarly aggrieved female employees.
EEOC named IPI, Best Sunshine International and IPI Holdings Limited as defendants, and unnamed individuals who, in some way or manner, were responsible for the acts alleged in the complaint.
EEOC in the lawsuit alleged that IPI was engaged in unlawful discrimination when they subjected the claimants to unwelcome physical and verbal sexual harassment by male patrons, which was sufficiently severe or pervasive to adversely affect the terms and conditions of their employment.
IPI has denied the allegations and has asked the federal court to dismiss the complaint. The jury trial will start on Sept. 28, 2021.
At the conference held Wednesday, IPI was represented by attorney Stephen Nutting while EEOC was represented by attorney Eric Yau.
Magistrate Judge Kennedy scheduled another settlement conference for March 3, 2021 at 10 a.m.
