Chicago-Area Auto Dealer Hit With Harassment Lawsuit

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has filed a sexual harassment lawsuit alleging a suburban Chicago auto dealer’s female employees were routinely called “obscene epithets” and female customers “dingbats.”

The EEOC alleges in a lawsuit filed Sept. 29 the principals of Castle Chevrolet in Villa Park made sexually hostile, abusive and threatening remarks to female employees and groped them. The agency alleges when the women complained, nothing changed.

Castle Chevrolet general manager Bob Politza is denying the allegations, saying the company has “a very strict” policy against sexual harassment.

EEOC regional attorney John Hendrickson said in a statement it was amazing that at a time when the auto industry is struggling for survival and women exercise so much influence in the marketplace that anyone would in engage in sexual harassment or show contempt for female customers.

Information from: Chicago Sun-Times, www.suntimes.com/index