Between 2010 and 2012, claimants consisting of six female janitors assigned to work the night shift at the Oakland Federal Building allegedly faced routine sexual harassment from their direct supervisor with Goodwill Industries of the East Bay Area Inc. and its affiliate, Calidad Industries Inc., which provides vocational training and employment to those with significant disabilities. The claimants included young women with developmental disabilities who were relatively new to the workforce and were employed by Goodwill/Calidad’s janitorial operations under a federal government contract. The female janitors confided in another claimant, a female manager, and their claims were supported by yet another claimant, a male manager. However, the claimant managers claimed they were unfairly criticized and disciplined in retaliation for supporting the women’s sexual harassment claims. One of the managers was allegedly compelled to resign. An investigation was conducted by an investigator with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, who first attempted to reach a settlement, out of court, through its conciliation process. The EEOC eventually sued Goodwill Industries and Calidad Industries. The EEOC alleged that the defendants violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits employers from subjecting their employees to sexual harassment, and which specifically protects employees from retaliation for reporting or otherwise supporting claims of sexual harassment in the workplace., The EEOC sought recovery of unspecified damages on behalf of the six female janitors and two managers. Plaintiff’s counsel noted that there were many factors that contributed to the vulnerability of the janitors, as all were black and many were young females new to the workplace, with disabilities, and working the isolated night shift.