Maker's Mark facing "hostile workplace" lawsuit

[wadewood]

interesting, especially considering the rumors around why Dave Pickerell is no longer master distiller at Makers.

Ignore my comment, I must have got my rumors confused or just plain remembered wrong.

[StraightBoston]

Ignore my comment, I must have got my rumors confused or just plain remembered wrong.

Now JD's late Jimmy Bedford, on the other hand...

[Bourbon Boiler]

I see what you did there, lol.

Wow, I didn't even realize what I'd typed there.

[cowdery]

It typically takes a lot to warrant a lawsuit of this kind. When you read some of the cases that get to trial, you see examples of truly outrageous behavior that absolutely should be prohibited and punished. The person or persons causing the problem may not be senior management but management is responsible for ensuring an appropriate workplace environment. When it gets to the point of a lawsuit, it usually means all lesser measures have been tried without success. This is a serious matter.

It's especially significant when the suit is brought by employees with many years in that particular workplace. Does that mean it's a recent problem? Maybe. People generally don't wait 25 years to take action when they're subjected to a truly hostile workplace.

I don't envy anyone who has to manage a workforce of any kind. I don't and I'm very glad to have dodged that particular bullet.

[weller_tex]

You would think that this sort of stuff would not exist anymore, but it does, just like racism still exists. I am nowhere near a left-winger, but this nonsense needs to stop.

[HP12]

Full article with pic of plaintiffs.

Harassment in the workplace, whether sexual or discriminatory is more common than some would think. At corporate levels, in general, there are very strict guidelines regarding appropriate/inappropriate behavior, employee awareness training and employee / management responsibilities to report and act upon allegations.

Whether it's a big or small company, proper awareness, a culture of respect (all levels of management/non-management) and zero tolerance with pro-active action should be the model when it comes to sexual harassment/hostile workplace issues. Sometimes there is an awakening within employees/employee groups of what appropriate/inappropriate behavior is, even though a culture of questionable behavior has been within a workplace for years and going unchecked without being questioned or challenged.

Smaller companies and workplace cultures with a dismissive attitude towards "proper" behavior are generally misinformed, mismanaged and subject to the type of legal exposure now finding it's way to MM. It doesn't matter if it's a seasoned employee or a newer one that is exposed to the inappropriate behavior. A senior employee and a newer employee are equally protected and one doesn't necessarily trump the other when it comes to credibility. If the MM employees bringing the suit have proper documentation of events and a culture within MM can be shown to be inappropriate, they have a good chance of winning. And with Beam at the helm, those are big pockets to dip into.

[DeanSheen]

You would think that this sort of stuff would not exist anymore, but it does, just like racism still exists. I am nowhere near a left-winger, but this nonsense needs to stop.

I'm sure that I'm misconstruing something here but it really bothers me that people feel they need to give things like sexism and racism a party affiliation.

Wrong is wrong independent of ideology. Cultural Relativism has been a great excuse for some very bad things to exist and does not function as a defense in civilized society.

[ILLfarmboy]

I'm sure that I'm misconstruing something here but it really bothers me that people feel they need to give things like sexism and racism a party affiliation.

I think you are over-reacting to a benign comment.

Its like someone saying..... "I'm no animal rights nut, nut but that Michael Vick ought to have done to him what he did to those dogs.

We all know what he meant.

[weller_tex]

I'm sure that I'm misconstruing something here but it really bothers me that people feel they need to give things like sexism and racism a party affiliation.

Wrong is wrong independent of ideology. Cultural Relativism has been a great excuse for some very bad things to exist and does not function as a defense in civilized society.

In today's media, academia..etc the general stereotype (incorrect) is that the left is incapable of such behavior and they "own" this topic by smashing it wherever it occurs, while the right are portrayed as the evil ones...just as all the left is portrayed by the right as military-hating and unpatriotic..once again incorrect.

All I meant to say is that no matter where you stand with politics, one should not condone this behavior.

[AaronWF]

In today's media, academia..etc the general stereotype (incorrect) is that the left is incapable of such behavior and they "own" this topic by smashing it wherever it occurs, while the right are portrayed as the evil ones...just as all the left is portrayed by the right as military-hating and unpatriotic..once again incorrect.

All I meant to say is that no matter where you stand with politics, one should not condone this behavior.

It's just Fox News. Most people would be capable of remaining open-minded, level-headed and available for conversation with opposing viewpoints were it not for the sensationalism-as-news that Fox has poisoned the minds of America with.

Anyway, sorry, this should maybe go in Politics and Controversy, but I never look in there.