Restaurant Subjected Female Employees to Egregious Sexual Harassment Including Grabbing and Groping, Federal Agency Charged
BALTIMORE -GMRI, Inc., doing business as Red Lobster, subjected a class of female employees to pervasive sexual harassment at its Salisbury, Md., location in violation of federal law, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) charged in a lawsuit announced today.
The EEOC alleged that the restaurant's then culinary manager subjected Valerie Serman, Racheal Cox and a class of similarly situated female employees to longstanding sexual harassment including pressing his groin against them, and grabbing and groping them. The EEOC further alleged that the manager made sexually offensive comments, such as frequent remarks about the bodies of female employees and about his genitals, according to the lawsuit.
According to the EEOC, Red Lobster, failed to take prompt action to stop the sexual harassment even though the offensive conduct and comments were blatant and pervasive. Serman also complained to her general manager about the harassment, but he not only failed to act, but also had a history of making vulgar and sexually charged remarks about female employees himself, the lawsuit claimed.
Subjecting employees to a sexually hostile work environment violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The EEOC filed suit (EEOC v. GMRI, Inc., d/b/a Red Lobster, Civil Action No. 1:13-cv-02860-MJG) in U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland, Northern Division, after first attempting to reach a pre-litigation settlement through its conciliation process. The EEOC seeks injunctive relief prohibiting the Red Lobster from engaging in sexual harassment, as well as compensatory and punitive damages for Serman, Cox and the class of female employees, and other affirmative relief.
"When companies tolerate sexual harassment, everyone loses," said EEOC Regional Attorney Debra M. Lawrence. "This lawsuit illustrates yet again that when employers abdicate their responsibility to maintain a workplace free from sexual harassment, then the EEOC will take action to protect employees from unrelenting harassment committed and condoned by management officials."
"No employee should have to endure severe or pervasive sexual harassment in order to earn a living," added Spencer H. Lewis, Jr., director of EEOC's Philadelphia District Office whose jurisdiction includes Maryland.
GMRI, Inc., d/b/a Red Lobster, is a subsidiary of Darden Restaurants, Inc. According to its website, www.darden.com, Darden Restaurants, Inc. is the world's largest full-service restaurant company. Through its subsidiaries, it owns and operates more than 2,100 restaurants and employs more than 200,000 people.
The Philadelphia District Office of the EEOC oversees Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, West Virginia and parts of New Jersey and Ohio.
The EEOC enforces federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination. Further information about the Commission is available at its website, www.eeoc.gov.
17 comments:
Close them up! Heck close all of them up.
Why are those accusing identified by name but the accused is not?
I'm calling BS on this one after reading what's out there.
used to work there; it's not bs; at times that was a horrendous place to work. You would not believe the level of harassment that went on.
I worked at that restaurant; all of the allegations are true. The level of harassment at that place would shock most people.
7:50
Because if he is found not guilty, and it is found that the girls were lying, it will keep people like you from being a vigilante and single handedly harassing someone who doesnt deserve it in the first place.
Why are you worried about someone who hasnt even been found guilty yet? What happened to innocent until proven guilty?
With cases like these, its pretty simple as to why the defendants name should be withheld.
7:43 because of one group?
8:52 Has there been only one manager of the Red Lobster in Salisbury...ever? Really? I would think any manager who ever worked there would want the real suspect named.
And no, vigilante is not my style, just seems odd that people accused of all kinds of crimes are identified in the press. Accused teachers, accused accountants, accused nurses, but not accused managers of Red Lobster?! Weird.
Anonymous Anonymous said...
Why are those accusing identified by name but the accused is not?
October 1, 2013 at 7:50 PM
The accused have been named, and a manager has been fired.
10:17 thanks for that info. Too bad it wasn't in the posting here.
Why would anyone eat at Red Lobster on the Eastern Shore?
9:52, sexual harassment isn't a crime per se; this is a civil case.
Anonymous Anonymous said...
9:52, sexual harassment isn't a crime per se; this is a civil case.
October 2, 2013 at 10:16 AM
sexual harassment at its Salisbury, Md., location in violation of federal law, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) charged in a lawsuit announced today
"When companies tolerate sexual harassment, everyone loses,"
Look soon for a slight increase in Red Lobster prices.
I also worked during this time. I witnessed all of it. It is true. This problem was made clear to a surprisingly large number of higher-ups. Everyone brushed it under the rug. Lots of people knew about it. No one did anything......but a few. These are bad bad men.............. “The world is a dangerous place to live, not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don't do anything about it.”
― Albert Einstein
I just researched it and both the district and general managers quietly resigned. Blah. The other articles about this case list the accused. Anyone stopping them from playing predator again?
I find it interesting that no other news media has picked this up.
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