In 2014, intervening plaintiff Katelyn Mejia and several other young female workers at various Del Taco restaurants, many of whom were under the age of 18, claimed that they were being sexually harassed by at least three male employees, some of whom were in supervisory positions. The women claimed that Del Taco’s management and human-resources department failed to adequately respond to their complaints and that, instead, they were retaliated against for making formal complaints. Some of the female employees resigned as a result of the events. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, acting in the claimants’ behalf, sued the restaurants’ operator, Del Taco, LLC. The lawsuit alleged that the actions of Del Taco’s male employees constituted sexual harassment and retaliation, in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The lawsuit also alleged that Del Taco failed to prevent the sexual harassment and retaliation, and caused the constructive discharge of several of the female claimants. Plaintiffs’ counsel claimed that the male employees of Del Taco harassed the female workers with inappropriate sexual comments and unwanted physical touching. Plaintiffs’ counsel also claimed that although some of the young females made formal complaints to management, human resources and the EEOC, no corrective action was taken and that, instead, the male employees retaliated by changing the schedules and reducing the working hours of the females who complained. Del Taco contended that it investigated the claims from the female workers., The EEOC sought recovery of damages for the claimants’ past emotional distress. It also sought injunctive relief and punitive damages.