According to a study conducted earlier this year with nearly 700 restaurant workers in 39 states, published by the Restaurant Opportunities Centers United, 90% of waitresses have experienced some form of sexual harassment at work. Women fighting back, however, will help protect future waitresses from the same fate. One such example is a recent lawsuit in which a waitress at a Wilton, Connecticut diner sued her employer for sexual harassment and got a verdict of approximately $85,000. The jury found the establishment liable for a hostile work environment and discrimination. She detailed how male employees made several derogatory and sexually explicit remarks that focused not only on her gender, but also on her ethnicity as well. One employee even threatened her physically, ultimately causing her to quit the waitressing job. Despite numerous complaints from her, the diner’s management failed to quell the harassment. The jury awarded her compensation for pain and suffering she endured during the harassment.
Posted November 24, 2014
