Oct. 3, 2003 - The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against the Doubletree Guest Suites in downtown Austin, alleging that a housekeeper repeatedly was assaulted by a department manager.

The lawsuit alleges that beginning in 2001, the manager subjected the employee to "repeated and increasingly severe sexual harassment . . . escalating to sexual intercourse."

The lawsuit says the manager, Andrew Saldana, threatened the housekeeper with termination and physical harm if she told anyone. Saldana could not be reached for comment.

The suit, filed in U.S. District Court in Austin, seeks unspecified compensation for medical bills and other damages. In addition to the 15th Street hotel, the suit also names Doubletree Hotels Corp. and Hilton Hotels Corp. as defendants.

The hotel's general manager, Gerry Tasian, said he could not comment because the matter is under litigation.

Last year, 14,000 sexual harassment charges were filed with the EEOC, agency spokesman David Grinberg said. Thirty percent of those complaints were resolved through settlements; fewer than 100 complaints led to lawsuits, he said.

Austin lawyer David Dunham, whose firm focuses on employment law, said EEOC lawsuits of this nature are uncommon.

"Considering the sheer volume of complaints, most of them don't get any action at all," Dunham said. "For this one to not only get action, but direct involvement from the EEOC shows a high level of interest."

According to the lawsuit, the employee did not report the allegations to the hotel because she feared losing her job as well as being physically harmed. The suit does not specify the period in which the alleged actions occurred.

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