Editor’s note: This story includes descriptions and references to sexual harassment allegations. For more information, see our editorial standards.
Dive Brief:
- A former employee at a major nuclear construction project filed a lawsuit in federal court in June against her former supervisor and a Bechtel unit over claims that she was repeatedly sexually harassed on the job.
- The lawsuit was filed by Madalyn Jennings, the only woman apprentice electrician at the Hanford Vit Plant in Richland, Washington. It outlined a persistent pattern of inappropriate behavior from General Foreman George “Buster” Elgin, per the filing.
- According to court documents, Elgin made frequent comments about Jennings’ appearance, asked her to send photographs of herself, sent her texts unrelated to work and repeatedly exposed his chest to her. Elgin allegedly escalated his harassment over time and retaliated against Jennings after she reported the incidents, eventually leading to Jennings’ termination.
Dive Insight:
The lawsuit, which was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Washington, names Elgin, Waste Treatment Completion Co. and Bechtel National, the government services arm of Reston, Virginia-based Bechtel, as defendants.
On behalf of both Bechtel and WTPP, spokesperson Staci West said in an emailed statement: “Bechtel does not tolerate harassment, intimidation, or discrimination of any kind and is committed to maintaining a safe and respectful workplace. Given that this matter is the subject of pending litigation, it would not be appropriate for us to comment further at this time.”
According to the filing, Jennings’ husband, Gary Jennings, who also worked at the plant as an electrician, was harassed by Elgin as well.
In addition, Elgin repeatedly claimed that he was “bulletproof” while at the jobsite and said he was “untouchable” due to his family’s five-generation legacy as journeymen working at the Hanford site, per court documents. The lawsuit states that the IBEW Local 112 union hall is named Elgin Hall, after his grandfather. The suit also outlines Madalyn Jennings’ harassment by Elgin’s father, Skip Elgin, who worked at the jobsite’s material tent where Madalyn Jennings was assigned.
Following a broken finger, Madalyn Jennings was rendered unable to perform the duties assigned to her, and did not receive reasonable accommodations, according to the complaint. She left in September 2024, and Gary Jennings left later that month due to continued harassment, per the lawsuit.
The lawsuit seeks redress for multiple forms of relief including lost wages, emotional distress, attorneys’ fees and other damages.
The construction industry has a history of harassment and discrimination. In 2023, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission blasted the building sector for its hostility to “men of color and women of all races and ethnicities.” In addition, a 2021 report from the Institute for Women’s Policy Research found that 26.5% of women who work in construction reported that “they are always or frequently harassed just for being a woman.”
Waste Treatment Completion Co. is a Bechtel-AECOM entity created to complete construction and lead the startup and commissioning of nuclear waste treatment sites at the Hanford site, which is a project that aims to turn 56 million gallons of radioactive waste into glass that can be safely disposed of, according to the Department of Energy.
