Joey’s New York Pizza and Italian Restaurant, a small chain with locations around Tampa Bay, has agreed to pay $55,000 and rewrite its harassment rules after a federal lawsuit claimed an owner targeted young female servers, including at least one teenager. The settlement pairs relatively modest cash relief with training and outside monitoring meant to keep similar misconduct from happening again.
In a July 9 press release, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission said the chain will pay $55,000 and implement what the agency called "meaningful equitable relief." That package includes mandatory training for owners, human resources staff, managers and hourly employees, hiring an outside equal employment consultant, and revising the company’s sexual harassment policy. According to the agency, one owner who directly manages three locations created a hostile work environment by targeting young female workers, and the company did not step in after a complaint in August 2023. The EEOC filed suit after conciliation efforts failed, the release states.
"The EEOC appreciates Joey’s Pizza’s willingness to work collaboratively to resolve this matter at an early stage," Kristen Foslid, regional attorney for the EEOC’s Miami District, said in the agency’s release, according to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The agency said the required training and outside monitoring are designed in part to protect young workers who may be entering the labor force for the first time.
Federal lawsuit and court filing
The EEOC sued in U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, and court records show the complaint was filed on June 30, 2026, as Case No. 8:26-cv-01889. The docket lists Joeys New York Pizza II, LLC and related entities as defendants and notes that the agency sought injunctive relief along with monetary damages. The case can be tracked via Justia Dockets & Filings.
Past enforcement and company background
This is not the first time federal labor officials have scrutinized the business. A 2021 investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor found overtime violations at Joey’s New York Pizza locations in New Port Richey and Palm Harbor and recovered about $74,955 in back wages for 31 workers. Business filings with the Florida Division of Corporations show multiple Joey’s New York Pizza entities registered in the Tampa Bay area, suggesting the restaurants operate through several LLCs.
What the settlement changes, and what it does not
The consent decree builds in structural changes, including mandatory training, updated policies and outside oversight, that could make it easier for workers, especially younger staff, to raise complaints and have them taken seriously. It is a civil workplace settlement, focused on remedies like policy changes and money, so it does not replace any potential criminal investigation if conduct rose to that level, and it does not undo the experiences of employees who say they were targeted.
Local media picked up the EEOC announcement this week, including WFLA. The federal docket is expected to show future filings and reports tied to the consent decree’s monitoring requirements as they are entered in court.
