Dive Brief:
- The owner of three Cincinnati-area Asian restaurants subjected a waitress to "egregious" sexual harassment and assault, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) alleged in a recent lawsuit.
- The waitress, who quit her job in response to the behavior, said the owner offered her money in exchange for sex.
- Alleging violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and constructive discharge, the commission said it seeks compensatory and punitive damages and permanent injunctive relief on behalf of the waitress.
Dive Insight:
Sexual misconduct is one of the biggest issues the restaurant industry faces, experts say. According to research discussed in Harvard Business Review, sexual harassment is more common in the restaurant space than in any other. McDonald's, for example, has faced numerous allegations of sexual harassment occurring within its restaurants.
EEOC has indicated it will take strong enforcement action when presented with credible allegations of sexual harassment in the industry. "Restaurants must protect their employees from harassment. The EEOC will take vigorous action to vindicate the rights of employees facing such extreme sexual harassment," EEOC Regional Attorney Ken Bird said in a statement announcing the lawsuit.
Broadly, the issue has prompted some change. The National Restaurant Association launched a series of training programs, ServSafe Workplace, that help to create harassment-free work environments for employees. And McDonald's rolled out an anonymous hotline after more harassment complaints emerged last spring.