Home improvement chain accused in sexual harassment suit

Supervisors at Gurnee's Home Depot are accused in a lawsuit of ignoring a woman's repeated complaints about being sexually harassed by a male co-worker for more than a year.

Jaclyn Bryant, 40, of Antioch, contends the colleague, Jeff Grawe, repeatedly slapped her behind with a piece of molding and made sexual advances toward her on the job.

"I found the sexual harassment offensive and I rejected the advances," Bryant wrote in U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission documents attached to the suit filed in Lake County circuit court.

Bryant's sexual harassment claims were reviewed by the EEOC before she was granted the right to sue Home Depot.

Home Depot spokeswoman Jen King said the company is familiar with the lawsuit.

"We don't comment on pending litigation," King said Tuesday. "We intend to pursue it in the appropriate forum."

More than $50,000 in damages are sought from Home Depot in the lawsuit. Bryant isn't seeking damages from Grawe, who couldn't be reached for comment.

Home Depot hired Bryant in April 2006. She joined Grawe in the millwork department at the store on Grand Avenue in Gurnee.

Not only did Grawe hit Bryant with the molding and make sexual advances toward her, he also berated her in front of customers and co-workers, according to the suit filed against Home Depot by lawyer Jason S. Marks on Oct. 24.

Bryant lodged her first written sexual harassment complaint about Grawe with a Home Depot human resources director on June 15, 2006, according to court documents.

Written complaints about Grawe also were submitted by Bryant to Home Depot management on two days in October 2007. She contends in the suit she periodically spoke to Home Depot supervisors about Grawe from April 2006 to October 2007.

Home Depot is accused of not investigating her complaints or taking action.

"The aforementioned conduct of Jeff Grawe created an intimidating, hostile and offensive working environment," the lawsuit states.

Home Depot also is accused in the suit of retaliating against Bryant for her sexual harassment complaints.

Bryant was offered a chance to move from the Gurnee store's millwork department in October 2007, but later accepted a transfer to the Home Depot in Round Lake Beach. Court documents state she resigned after her hours were cut in Round Lake Beach.