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\"[At] least one in four workers -- especially women of color working low-wage jobs -- experience sexual harassment as a routine part of their job,” said Sharyn Tejani, director of the TIME’S UP Legal Defense Fund. \"Few women working low-wage jobs have the financial security to challenge their harassment. By funding the legal representation of several workers at McDonald’s, we see potential for these charges to be a catalyst for significant change.”

The median annual pay for food and beverage serving and related work in 2018 was $21,750 per year, and $10.45 hourly, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

“Faced with low wages, uncertain scheduling practices, and minimal benefits across the fast food landscape, it should be no surprise that women workers are at such high risk for sexual harassment,” said Fatima Goss Graves, President and CEO of the National Women's Law Center, which is taking part in legal action against McDonald's. \"We won’t stop fighting until all people can have safe and respectful workplaces, and women and girls can live with dignity, safety and equality.”

Lakshmi spoke to a crowd of McDonald's workers on Tuesday at the company's headquarters in Chicago about sexual harassment.

\"We would like to see a program that doesn't just have training and a hotline,\" Lakshmi said, \"but a zero tolerance disciplinary plan put in place immediately with accountability and lasting consequences for sexual harassment in the work place.\"

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