News Summary
A former employee of Integrated Proteins has filed a lawsuit alleging sexual harassment and retaliation. The lawsuit highlights multiple instances of misconduct, including unwanted physical advances by the CEO, Joe Hubbard, and subsequent retaliation after reporting the behavior. The case raises important questions about workplace culture and the handling of harassment claims in small companies as the lawsuit proceeds.
Kansas City – A former employee has filed a lawsuit against Integrated Proteins, a Kansas City-based pet food company, alleging a range of serious misconduct, including sexual harassment and retaliation after her complaints. The lawsuit was filed in Platte County on Monday, highlighting troubling claims against the company’s founder and CEO, Joe Hubbard.
The woman, who began her employment at Integrated Proteins in May 2023, asserts that shortly after her hiring, she experienced multiple instances of physical and verbal sexual harassment from Hubbard. A significant incident occurred on September 2, 2023, during a birthday party for company general counsel Ben Hubbard, where Joe Hubbard allegedly made inappropriate remarks about her personal life, leading to further uncomfortable interactions.
After that party, the plaintiff confronted Joe Hubbard regarding his inappropriate comments. Instead of receiving an apology or acknowledgment, she claims he thanked her for her support, which laid the groundwork for a troubling pattern of behavior. A few weeks later, on October 19, 2023, she was presented with text messages from an administrative assistant, which purportedly illustrated Joe Hubbard’s systematic attempts to groom her.
By November 2023, during another company celebration, Joe Hubbard reportedly insisted that the woman meet him in a parking lot, where he engaged in unwanted kissing and groping. Disturbingly, after this encounter, the plaintiff learned that Joe Hubbard had taken his administrative assistant back to his home, which raised further concerns about his conduct.
The allegations grew more serious as the woman reported additional inappropriate behaviors, including sexual innuendos and harassment that escalated to incidents where Hubbard allegedly forced his genitals into her personal space. Troubled by these actions, she began looking for new employment and sought to report her experiences.
On March 25, 2024, the woman approached Shannon Vance, the vice president of human resources, to report the harassment. Although Vance appeared visibly shaken, she initially dismissed the seriousness of the report, stating she lacked time to discuss such matters. The former employee requested confidentiality, fearing retaliation, but later learned that Vance had divulged details of their conversation to Joe Hubbard.
The lawsuit claims that, following this disclosure, the plaintiff experienced retaliatory actions at work, including unjust criticism of her job performance without adequate explanation. Compounding the situation, Joe Hubbard’s administrative assistant was terminated shortly thereafter on March 28, 2024, adding another layer of tension to the workplace environment.
Amid growing concern, on July 16, 2024, the woman met with Ben Hubbard, who advised her to avoid speaking about Joe and to be cautious of her surroundings. Although he expressed regret over the situation and indicated he would address Joe Hubbard’s behavior, this promised intervention did not materialize with effective action, leading to further unaddressed harassment until the plaintiff’s termination on July 14, 2024.
In her lawsuit, the woman is seeking damages based on extensive claims, including workplace sexual harassment, sex discrimination, retaliation, negligent retention, negligent supervision, battery, and tortious interference with business expectancy against Joe Hubbard.
This case raises significant questions about workplace culture and the handling of sexual harassment claims, particularly in small and privately owned businesses. As the lawsuit proceeds, the practices of Integrated Proteins and the responsibilities of its leadership will come under scrutiny, potentially impacting policies and ethics within the company’s operations.
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Additional Resources
- Kansas City Star
- Wikipedia: Workplace harassment
- KSHB News
- Google Search: workplace sexual harassment
- Fox 4 Kansas City
- Google Scholar: sexual harassment lawsuits
- Reuters
- Encyclopedia Britannica: sexual harassment
- Pet Food Industry
- Google News: Kansas City lawsuit
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