A former security supervisor at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) alleges that women who wanted to advance their careers had to give in to sexual advances from male employees and supervisors. LaDonna Powell has filed a federal lawsuit against Allied Universal Security Services accusing them of sexual misconduct and racism in the workplace. The suit alleges sexual harassment, lewd comments, use of racial slurs, and pressuring female workers to engage in sexual activity.
Retaliation Was Common
Powell worked for Allied for four years from 2012-2016. She says that she was subjected to a sexually-charged environment where women who did not submit to participation would be retaliated against. Powell herself was given more difficult security assignments and denied federally-mandated rest and meal breaks. She had been reduced to urinating in a cup.
Sex Was Livestreamed
The 32-year-old Black woman said that the never-ending torment was “harrowing.” In court documents, Powell explained how she was “repeatedly forced to stand by as her supervisors watched her colleagues have sex in security booths via closed circuit television cameras.” They would also watch videos of female security guards performing oral sex on male supervisors.” Often the videos were live streamed.
When she was a security guard at JFK, LaDonna Powell says the 'n-word' was used frequently in her presence: https://t.co/Icx5rnEbOH pic.twitter.com/NHS9Mm7VST
— theGrio.com (@theGrio) October 12, 2017
A Culture Of Abuse
Powell wasn’t the only woman who experienced such vile treatment as an Allied employee. At least one other Black woman has come forward and has echoed Powell’s claims. Allied’s White supervisors at JFK were well-aware of the abuses and did nothing to help women who complained. They reportedly used the N-word in their everyday conversations adding more hostility to the work environment. When both women made formal reports of the abuses they claimed to suffer, they were fired.
Though the Port Authority of New York granted Allied Universal Security Services the contract, they are not named in the lawsuit. Attorneys representing the alleged victims, however, do believe that they should take some responsibility in the matter. The New York Daily News reported that the matter has been referred to their inspector general.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BOSsvw0BSUc/?hl=en&tagged=allieduniversalsecurity
No Response From Allied
In the meantime, Allied has yet to issue an official response to the federal suit–and they don’t intend to, either.
“We have just received the lawsuit and are reviewing it,” Allied offered in a statement. “…per policy we do not comment publicly on pending litigation.”
