<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40">
<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=us-ascii">
<meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 14 (filtered medium)">
<!--[if !mso]><style>v\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
o\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
w\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
.shape {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
</style><![endif]--><style><!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Helvetica;
panose-1:2 11 6 4 2 2 2 2 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Helvetica;
panose-1:2 11 6 4 2 2 2 2 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Tahoma;
panose-1:2 11 6 4 3 5 4 4 2 4;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:blue;
text-decoration:underline;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:purple;
text-decoration:underline;}
p.MsoAcetate, li.MsoAcetate, div.MsoAcetate
{mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-link:"Balloon Text Char";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:8.0pt;
font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";}
span.BalloonTextChar
{mso-style-name:"Balloon Text Char";
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-link:"Balloon Text";
font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";}
span.EmailStyle19
{mso-style-type:personal-compose;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:windowtext;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
--></style><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]-->
</head>
<body lang="EN-US" link="blue" vlink="purple">
<div class="WordSection1">
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><img width="229" height="74" id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image001.png@01D0D455.B9075AC0" alt="cid:image001.png@01D0D455.B9075AC0"></b><span style="mso-fareast-language:AR-SA"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><o:p> </o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">August 12, 2015<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">CONTACT: Charlie Burr, BOLI, (971) 673-0788 <o:p>
</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:#363636">Av</span></b><b><span style="color:#363636">akian files complaint against Stars Cabaret for sex discrimination and harassment of minors</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><i>BOLI will investigate allegations of sex harassment, failure to take corrective action<o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:15.0pt;background:white"><b><span style="color:black">PORTLAND, OR—</span></b><span style="color:black">Labor Commissioner Brad Avakian has filed a commissioner’s complaint against Stars Cabaret in Beaverton alleging
sexual harassment of minors, the Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI) announced today.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:15.0pt;background:white"><span style="color:black">An agency investigation will determine whether the company subjected vulnerable minors to conditions of employment that constituted sexual harassment under Oregon law.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:15.0pt;background:white"><span style="color:black">The commissioner’s complaint includes charges that the company failed to take appropriate corrective action to address workplace discrimination and harassment. The
charges also allege that during the period from July to September 2014—after police had arrested one of Stars’ managers on charges of sexual abuse and compelling prostitution of a minor—the club employed another female under 16 years of age.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:15.0pt;background:white">“No worker—especially a minor—should ever have to face sexual harassment or abuse as a condition of employment,” said Labor Commissioner Avakian. “If other workers believe that they’ve being
treated unfairly, they should contact our investigators. A Commissioner’s Complaint can shield the identity of vulnerable workers who fear retaliation and ensure aggressive prosecution if we find evidence of wrongdoing.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:15.0pt;background:white">Oregon law empowers the labor commissioner to file a complaint on behalf of the people of Oregon when the commissioner has reason to believe an unlawful practice, such as employment discrimination
based on sex, has occurred.<span style="color:black"> The Stars complaint is the seventh commissioner’s complaint filed by Avakian.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:15.0pt;background:white"><span style="color:black">Commissioner’s complaints can be a valuable enforcement tool when vulnerable employees express fear of retaliation.
</span>Workers can start the complaint process by filing with the Civil Rights Division at
<a href="mailto:crdemail@boli.state.or.us">crdemail@boli.state.or.us</a> or by calling (971) 673-0764.<span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:15.0pt;background:white"><span style="color:black">A previous commissioner’s complaint against Daimler Trucks North America resulted in a record $2.4 million civil rights settlement earlier this year, the largest in
the agency’s history. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Copies of the commissioner’s complaint are public documents available on the agency’s website
<a href="http://www.oregon.gov/boli/SiteAssets/pages/press/Commissioner%27s%20Complaint_Stars%20%28Freehoo%29.pdf">
here</a>.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Visit <a href="http://www.oregon.gov/BOLI">www.oregon.gov/BOLI</a> for more information about all of BOLI’s work to
<span style="color:black">protect employment rights, advance employment opportunities, and protect access to housing and public accommodations free from discrimination</span>.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center">###<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Charlie Burr<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Communications Director<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">800 NE Oregon Street, Suite 1045<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Portland, Oregon 97232<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Tel: 971-673-0788<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
</body>
</html>