Landry's Seafood House has agreed to pay $90,000 to settle a lawsuit over claims of national origin harassment, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) announced. The suit alleged that employees at the restaurant chain, including those in management positions, openly derided an Iranian employee's accent and mocked her appearance, comments that included derogatory remarks about her physical looks, such as "nobody wants to see your hairy back." The plaintiff also claimed differential treatment that affected her work and wages compared to non-Iranian employees, according to the EEOC.
After making complaints to the general manager and contacting Landry's human resources department twice, the company discharged the employee, enforcing a policy unevenly applied among its staff. The EEOC, enforcing that no one should suffer discrimination in their place of work, took action against Landry's when a settlement couldn't be reached during the conciliation process. "Workers need to be treated equally in the workplace and employers have an obligation to protect their employees from harassment," said Mary O'Neill, the agency's Phoenix District Office regional attorney, as per EEOC.
The consent decree also mandates that Landry's overhaul its policies concerning harassment and retaliation. The company is required to implement training for both employees and managers on Title VII, with special emphasis on national origin harassment and retaliation, and to provide reports on training, any complaints received, and changes to company policy. "Addressing retaliation is critical, as more than half the charges the EEOC receives allege retaliation," stated Melinda Caraballo, EEOC's Phoenix District Director, as obtained by EEOC, indicating a pervasive problem in workplace culture.
