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Episcopal church settles sexual harassment, retaliation case

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Grace Episcopal Church of Whitestone Inc. and the West Babylon, N.Y.-based Episcopal Diocese of Long Island will pay $192,500 to settle a sex harassment and retaliation suit accusing an interim rector of sexual harassment and retaliation against two female employees.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission said Wednesday that the unidentified rector subjected a secretary and another church employee to unwanted advances, sexual remarks and touching, and that the secretary was fired after she rebuffed his sexual advances.

The EEOC filed its lawsuit in 2006 charging the defendants with violating Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, according to court papers.

In addition to the $192,000 to be paid to the two women, the three- year consent decree resolving the case includes injunctive relief prohibiting Grace Church and the diocese from engaging in sexual harassment and retaliation, among other provisions.

“All employers, whether private companies or religious institutions, should be aware that they have a responsibility to prevent sexual harassment of their employees,” EEOC New York District Director Kevin Berry said in a statement. “Employers must also make sure that they have multiple avenues for employees to complain about harassment and that those avenues of complaint are communicated to employees.”

The defendants made no admission of any wrongdoing as part of the consent decree.

A diocese spokesman could not immediately be reached for comment.