Temp workers at Fender’s Corona factory allege sexual harassment, inaction from Fender and employment agency

Four men who were employed by temporary staffing agency Cornerstone at Fender’s Corona factory have filed a suit alleging they faced sexual harassment from a female colleague, and ensuing inaction from both companies.

A lawsuit was brought to the Los Angeles Superior Court on Friday (28 April) by Daniel Gutierrez, Hector Geronimo De Rosas, John Taliaferro V and Jorge Mercado, who were employed at Fender’s Corona factory through Cornerstone across 2021 and 2022.

The suit alleges that, from March 2022, a female guitar inspector began making inappropriate comments to Gutierrez and his co-workers, some of whom were teenagers at the time. The alleged harassment also included inappropriate sexual touching, comments and questions, as well as showing the plaintiffs pornography on her phone.

The suit also alleges that neither Fender nor Cornerstone took immediate action, despite numerous complaints to management and human resources. Instead, Gutierrez and his colleagues claim they faced repercussions for their reports – including unfair scrutiny on their behaviour and their work from the colleague in question.

The suit also depicts a working environment where speaking out was difficult, claiming that one plaintiff “was scared to say anything because he just started his employment at Fender and did not want to get into any trouble.”

Overall, the suit’s argument is that “plaintiffs were all subjected to a pattern and practice of third-party sexual harassment”, and that both Fender and Cornerstone management did not take enough action as they were aware – or should have been aware – about her behavior.

The plaintiffs are seeking unspecified compensatory and punitive damages for their emotional distress.

Fender declined to comment when approached by Guitar.com.