Episcopal Parish and Diocese Settle Sex Harassment Charges With EEOC

The EEOC announced last week that a settlement has been reached in its sexual harassment suit against Grace Episcopal Church of Whitestone, Inc., a parish of the Episcopal Diocese of Long Island. The church will pay $192,000 to settle charges that an interim rector at the church subjected two female employees-- a secretary and a sexton-- to unwelcome advances, sexual remarks, kissing and groping, and fired the secretary who resisted the advances. The consent decree also requires other steps to prevent and monitor sexual harassment, including furnishing church and diocese employees and all churches within the diocese with copies of revised policies on sexual harassment.