Builder sent NC Realtor sex videos of him and his wife, asked her to join, lawsuit says
A real estate agent working for the construction giant D.R. Horton was selling homes at a new development in North Carolina when she said a building superintendent on the project began sexually harassing her.
Instead of addressing her complaints, she said the company gave her less lucrative assignments until she was forced to quit.
Now she’s suing.
Cicely Walker filed a lawsuit against D.R. Horton Inc. making claims for discrimination, hostile work environment and retaliation in the Eastern District of North Carolina on Wednesday, according to court filings. She’s seeking economic damages, damages for emotional harm and attorney’s fees.
A representative for D.R. Horton, one of the largest home builders in the U.S., did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Friday.
Joe Budd of Osborn Gambale Beckley & Budd PLLC, which is representing Walker, told McClatchy News the harassment was encouraged by other managers.
“Like too many women in a male-dominated field, Ms. Walker was the victim of a hostile environment that extended beyond the workplace and into her own private time,” he said. “While she can’t get her job back, she is nevertheless eager to tell her story through this lawsuit so that justice can be done for herself and other women who may be faced with similar challenges.”
According to the complaint, Walker has been a licensed real estate agent in North Carolina since 2016 and was hired as a sales representative for D.R. Horton in March 2018.
Soon after she was hired, Walker was assigned to sell homes in the Tyde Village community in Willow Springs, North Carolina, the lawsuit states. Willow Springs is about 30 minutes south of Raleigh in Wake County.
A male building superintendent was assigned to Tyde Village around the same time, according to the complaint.
Walker said she didn’t know the superintendent before they began working together, but the alleged harassment started “almost immediately” after meeting him.
“Plaintiff worked with (the superintendent) nearly every day of her employment with Defendant,” the lawsuit states. “During nearly every encounter with (him), while plaintiff attempted to be professional and do her job, (the superintendent) would harass plaintiff with inappropriate comments, images, or videos.”
On one occasion, Walker said he sent her a video of him and his wife having sex in which he invited her to join, according to court filings. He’s also accused of sending her unsolicited pictures of his genitalia and pornographic videos as well as inviting her to his house late at night.
“Plaintiff rejected all such invitations from (him) and asked him to stop his behavior,” the complaint states.
Walker complained to her managers, according to the lawsuit, but she said they only encouraged the harassment. One of them told her he was “surprised” she and the building superintendent hadn’t had sex “in the work bathroom yet,” the complaint states.
In retaliation for her complaints, Walker’s attorney said she was sent to work assignments hours away that were far less lucrative.
But the alleged harassment continued, and Walker said she was “forced to resign” in September 2019. The building superintendent continued asking her to have sex even after she left, according to the lawsuit.
This story was originally published November 13, 2020 at 6:26 PM with the headline "Builder sent NC Realtor sex videos of him and his wife, asked her to join, lawsuit says."
