Florida restaurant workers may be interested to learn that a former general manager at an Olive Garden was sued for sexual harassment. In the lawsuit, which was filed on Jan. 25, a waitress claimed that servers were hired due to their perceived attractiveness by the general manager. He was also accused of trading promotions and raises for sex.
An initial complaint was made against the general manager for his behavior. Instead of disciplining him, however, the company let him take a leave of absence for anxiety. When he returned, he was accused of groping the complainant. The lawsuit alleges that the general manager’s boss actually apologized to the complainant.
The complainant stated that she did not realize that the man had only been sent on leave and had not been fired. When he did return, she was subjected to sex talk and comments about other female workers’ bodies. When the waitress discussed the groping incident with a female manager, the manager stated that he must have been drunk. The lawsuit named the general manager, his supervisor, the company and the parent company in the lawsuit.
Sexual harassment in the workplace prevents employees from reaching their full potential. They may miss out on promotions or even quit due to the threat of harassment. In these types of circumstances, Boca Raton, Florida, attorney may assist. Depending on the situation, the attorney may help the worker file the lawsuit. The attorney may also help gather evidence that provides proof that sexual harassment was occurring and that the company failed to stop it, even when it was alerted to the situation.
Source: Bloomberg, “Olive Garden Waitress Says Manager Groped, Harassed Workers“, Patrick Dorrian, Jan. 30, 2017
