Justin Vineyards & Winery and its parent company, The Wonderful Co., have agreed to pay $1.49 million to settle a federal lawsuit alleging sexual harassment and retaliation against female employees. The settlement, approved by a federal judge, requires the companies to implement workplace reforms and undergo compliance audits.
The lawsuit, filed in 2022 by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), claimed that female employees at the Paso Robles winery faced harassment, including inappropriate comments, unwanted touching, and forced kissing, from male supervisors and coworkers since at least 2017. The complaint also alleged that the companies failed to properly investigate complaints and retaliated against employees who reported the misconduct.
Under the terms of the settlement, Justin Vineyards and The Wonderful Co. must halt any further harassment or retaliation, conduct regular compliance audits, and implement other measures to prevent future violations. The companies denied all allegations but agreed to the settlement to resolve the litigation.
The lawsuit described a hostile work environment where employees who reported harassment were subjected to retaliation, including being assigned double shifts, accused of wrongdoing, and verbally berated by supervisors. The EEOC argued that the companies' actions violated the Civil Rights Act.
In a statement, Justin Vineyards acknowledged the matter but emphasized that it was addressed promptly. The settlement marks the conclusion of the legal dispute, though the allegations remain unproven in court.