A Hometown Dilemma: Addressing th e Sexual Harassment of Undocumented Women in Meatpacking Plants in Iowa and Nebraska

Sexual harassment of undocumented women workers continues to be a systemic problem within the meatpacking industry. In Iowa and Nebraska, the state legislature, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, labor unions, and local advocacy organizations are working to address the problem of sexual harassment within the meatpacking industry. This note addresses the ongoing issues facing women in the meatpacking industry in Iowa and Nebraska, in particular the unique concerns facing undocumented and immigrant women workers. It also looks to the Supreme Court holding in Hoffman Plastic Compounds, Inc. v. NLRB to determine the applicability of that case to Title VII sexual harassment claims by undocumented women workers. Finally, it examines the outreach efforts undertaken by federal and state government, state agencies, and local organizations to educate workers about their workplace rights, including the right to be free of sexual harassment