ckaihatsu
2nd March 2017, 14:57
Get this predator fired
Dear Chris,
News broke this week that Kay Jewelers and Jared Galleria, both owned by Signet Jewelers, have a deeply entrenched sexual harassment problem. Hundreds of employees have reported being demeaned, groped, or forced into sex to get a raise or promotion. Roughly 69,000 women across 1,500 stores are now involved in a class action case against Signet.1
Even more disgusting? Signet promoted executive Mark Light to CEO of the company--even while accusations against him were piling up during almost 10 years of secret legal proceedings.2
The good news is the jewelry store chain is finally feeling the pressure to change. Stocks have plunged since this story broke and the company whose brand is built on romance is scrambling to deal with the fallout.3 Now, we need to turn up the heat. If Signet wants the public to believe it takes sexual harassment seriously, they need to fire CEO Mark Light immediately. Will you add your name?
Tell Signet Jewelers Board of Directors: Fire sexual harasser CEO Mark Light immediately, and root out sexual harassment at your company.
Sign the petition (https://act.weareultraviolet.org/sign/jewelry_harassment/?t=1&akid=4191.852651.PUa1GH)
It's clear from women employees at Signet stores that the culture of harassment was a company-wide problem with no accountability. One woman manager said "preying" at company events "was done out in the open and appeared to be encouraged, or at least condoned, by the company." Another said male executives “prowled around like dogs that were let out of their cage and there was no one to protect the female managers from them.”4
What's happening with this jewelry conglomerate--both the harassment and what happens when women report it--is part of a larger, disturbing trend. At least one in four women is sexually harassed at work according to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.5
On top of that, many corporations make it very hard for employees to get justice by including forced arbitration in their contracts. That means many employees are forced to sign away their right to sue the company they work for in court. At least a quarter of non-unionized contracts include a clause like this.6
Because these Signet employees were forced into private arbitration their stories were buried for almost 10 years, and they were stuck in a legal limbo as they watched one of the harassers become the head of the company. Now that their story has been uncovered, we need to act quickly to hold Signet Jewelers and CEO Mark Light accountable.
Will you add your name to stand up to workplace sexual harassment? (https://act.weareultraviolet.org/sign/jewelry_harassment/?t=2&akid=4191.852651.PUa1GH)
Thanks for taking action,
--Nita, Shaunna, Kat, Karin, Adam, Holly, Kathy, Onyi, Susan, Anathea, Audine, Shannon, Megan, Emma, PaKou, and Pilar, the UltraViolet team
Sources:
1. Hundreds allege sex harassment, discrimination at Kay and Jared jewelry company, Washington Post, February 27, 2017
2. Ibid.
3. This jewelry brand's stock plummets after sexual harassment allegations surface, CNBC, February 28, 2017
4. Hundreds allege sex harassment, discrimination at Kay and Jared jewelry company, Washington Post, February 27, 2017
5. Select Task Force on the Study of Harassment in the Workplace, U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, accessed March 1, 2017
6. The Teeny Tiny Fine Print That Can Allow Sexual Harassment Claims to Go Unheard, Time, October 21, 2016
Want to support our work? UltraViolet is funded by members like you, and our tiny staff ensures small contributions go a long way. Chip in here. (https://weareultraviolet.actionkit.com/donate/donate?akid=4191.852651.PUa1GH)
You can unsubscribe from this mailing list at any time.
Dear Chris,
News broke this week that Kay Jewelers and Jared Galleria, both owned by Signet Jewelers, have a deeply entrenched sexual harassment problem. Hundreds of employees have reported being demeaned, groped, or forced into sex to get a raise or promotion. Roughly 69,000 women across 1,500 stores are now involved in a class action case against Signet.1
Even more disgusting? Signet promoted executive Mark Light to CEO of the company--even while accusations against him were piling up during almost 10 years of secret legal proceedings.2
The good news is the jewelry store chain is finally feeling the pressure to change. Stocks have plunged since this story broke and the company whose brand is built on romance is scrambling to deal with the fallout.3 Now, we need to turn up the heat. If Signet wants the public to believe it takes sexual harassment seriously, they need to fire CEO Mark Light immediately. Will you add your name?
Tell Signet Jewelers Board of Directors: Fire sexual harasser CEO Mark Light immediately, and root out sexual harassment at your company.
Sign the petition (https://act.weareultraviolet.org/sign/jewelry_harassment/?t=1&akid=4191.852651.PUa1GH)
It's clear from women employees at Signet stores that the culture of harassment was a company-wide problem with no accountability. One woman manager said "preying" at company events "was done out in the open and appeared to be encouraged, or at least condoned, by the company." Another said male executives “prowled around like dogs that were let out of their cage and there was no one to protect the female managers from them.”4
What's happening with this jewelry conglomerate--both the harassment and what happens when women report it--is part of a larger, disturbing trend. At least one in four women is sexually harassed at work according to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.5
On top of that, many corporations make it very hard for employees to get justice by including forced arbitration in their contracts. That means many employees are forced to sign away their right to sue the company they work for in court. At least a quarter of non-unionized contracts include a clause like this.6
Because these Signet employees were forced into private arbitration their stories were buried for almost 10 years, and they were stuck in a legal limbo as they watched one of the harassers become the head of the company. Now that their story has been uncovered, we need to act quickly to hold Signet Jewelers and CEO Mark Light accountable.
Will you add your name to stand up to workplace sexual harassment? (https://act.weareultraviolet.org/sign/jewelry_harassment/?t=2&akid=4191.852651.PUa1GH)
Thanks for taking action,
--Nita, Shaunna, Kat, Karin, Adam, Holly, Kathy, Onyi, Susan, Anathea, Audine, Shannon, Megan, Emma, PaKou, and Pilar, the UltraViolet team
Sources:
1. Hundreds allege sex harassment, discrimination at Kay and Jared jewelry company, Washington Post, February 27, 2017
2. Ibid.
3. This jewelry brand's stock plummets after sexual harassment allegations surface, CNBC, February 28, 2017
4. Hundreds allege sex harassment, discrimination at Kay and Jared jewelry company, Washington Post, February 27, 2017
5. Select Task Force on the Study of Harassment in the Workplace, U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, accessed March 1, 2017
6. The Teeny Tiny Fine Print That Can Allow Sexual Harassment Claims to Go Unheard, Time, October 21, 2016
Want to support our work? UltraViolet is funded by members like you, and our tiny staff ensures small contributions go a long way. Chip in here. (https://weareultraviolet.actionkit.com/donate/donate?akid=4191.852651.PUa1GH)
You can unsubscribe from this mailing list at any time.