Group claims McDonald's violated New Jersey labor law

Middlesex County, NJThe Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has filed a sexual harassment lawsuit claiming that McDonald's violated New Jersey labor law.

In the suit, the EEOC claims that a teenage worker, who was reportedly 16 to 17 years old at the time, experienced "unwelcome comments" about the way he looked from an assistant manager, Bloomberg News reports.

The EEOC also alleges that the female supervisor was allowed to "touch, spank and pinch" the teenager and other employees at the New Jersey McDonald's without their consent.

"McDonald's failed to take sufficient action to remedy or prevent sexual harassment of its employees," states the suit. It added that the New Jersey employment violation was "done with malice or with reckless indifference to the federally protected rights of Charging Party."

McDonald's spokeswoman Danya Proud told Bloomberg that the fast-food restaurant chain was taking the New Jersey labor dispute "seriously" and that the company requires "all employees to comply with local, state and federal employment laws."

"We remain committed to protecting our employees and providing them with a safe and respectful workplace," Proud said.