Oklahoma McDonald’s Franchisee to Pay $80,000 in EEOC Sexual Harassment Suit

Arch Fellow North, LLC, the owner and operator of eight McDonald’s restaurants in eastern Oklahoma, agreed to pay $80,000 and adopt new workplace protections under a consent decree to resolve a federal sexual‑harassment suit brought by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The EEOC said the suit alleged a teenage worker was sexually harassed by an adult supervisor in November 2021 and was forced to resign.

The EEOC’s complaint described repeated misconduct over about a month in November 2021. Local reporting of the EEOC complaint by Fox23 includes graphic allegations that the supervisor subjected the teenager to sexual comments and innuendo and “grabbed her by the waist in a dark, isolated storage shed and said he could rape her.” The commission said that when Arch Fellow North learned of the allegations it failed to properly investigate and allowed the supervisor to continue supervising the teenage victim and other young workers, and the teenage victim “had to quit.”

After attempting pre‑litigation conciliation, the EEOC filed suit in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma under the caption Equal Employment Opportunity Commission v. Arch Fellow North LLC d/b/a McDonald’s, Civil Action No. 6:23-cv-00331. The parties resolved the case by consent decree that U.S. Magistrate Judge Jason A. Robertson entered and approved on Jan. 28; the EEOC announced the settlement Jan. 30, 2026.

In addition to the $80,000 monetary payment, the consent decree requires Arch Fellow North to take a series of injunctive and equitable steps aimed at preventing future harassment. The company must designate personnel to ensure compliance with Title VII, implement stronger policies and procedures for reporting and handling sexual‑harassment complaints, provide mandatory training for supervisors and non‑supervisory employees, post a notice to employees about their federal right to be free from sexual harassment, offer multiple avenues for complaints, and report alleged harassment to the EEOC. Bloomberg Law reported the consent decree calls for distribution of anti‑harassment training and policies within two months of the decree.

Fox23 identified a Checotah, Oklahoma McDonald’s operated by Arch Fellow North as tied to the EEOC charge. The EEOC characterized the complainant as a teenage worker; Fox23 reported the employee was 17 years old.

For restaurant operators and crew members, the settlement shows the legal and reputational risks when managers fail to investigate harassment complaints — especially when young or teenage employees are involved. FranchiseTimes noted similar EEOC activity this period, including other franchise operators settling harassment suits for six‑figure sums. The consent decree will require Arch Fellow North to report compliance steps to the EEOC, and regulators and franchise operators will be watching whether mandated training and new reporting channels reduce future incidents.