Offshore-Rig Worker Reaches Settlement In His Harassment Suit

NEW ORLEANS - A man who said he was sexually assaulted, battered and threatened with rape by two supervisors on an offshore rig reached a settlement in his sexual-harassment lawsuit against his former employer.

Joseph "Jody" Oncale's lawsuit had been scheduled for trial in U.S. District Court tomorrow, nearly eight months after the Supreme Court ruled that it could proceed to trial.

A judge had dismissed the suit Oncale filed in 1994, and a federal appeals court upheld the ruling, saying the civil-rights law used to prosecute on-the-job harassment cannot apply to people of the same sex.

But the Supreme Court ruled March 4 that on-the-job torment can be illegal sexual harassment even when the offender and victim are the same sex.

Oncale and Sundowner Offshore Services agreed not to disclose terms of the settlement, which was reached Wednesday before Magistrate Lance Africk after two mediation sessions.

"It's been so long - I'm glad it's over," Oncale said from his home across Lake Pontchartrain from New Orleans. He now works on an offshore rig for another company.

Oncale, 27, accused his direct supervisor, John Lyons, and a second supervisor, Danny Pippen, of sexually harassing him in 1991.

Co-worker Brandon Johnson also was accused in one of the alleged incidents.

Africk's order gives the defendants 30 days to deliver money to Oncale.

Oncale, 27, said he was not seeking a specific amount of money, but wanted to be compensated for being run off the job in 1991.

Oncale said he twice reported the harassment to the highest supervisor on the rig, but nothing was done.

He said he quit because he feared the harassment would escalate to rape.

The defendants portrayed their conduct as hazing or locker-room horseplay.