Jay Sanders, co-owner of Shawnee cocktail bars Drastic Measures and Wild Child, has been accused by 11 current and former employees of sexual harassment, verbal abuse and physical abuse, according to reporting by The Kansas City Star. The allegations have not been adjudicated in the information available.
Sanders’s response
Sanders disputed many of the claims in a July 26 post on the r/kansascity Reddit forum and in accounts provided to The Star. He also acknowledged wrongdoing, apologized for his conduct and discussed alcohol use, grief and mental illness in describing the fallout. He later deleted his social-media accounts.
In a statement reported Sept. 8, Sanders said he was sober, pursuing recovery through counseling and sobriety, and considering leaving the bar industry. Those statements describe his response; they do not resolve the employees’ allegations.
What employees reported
The Star reported interviewing 11 current and former employees about conduct they said occurred over several years at the two bars. Their accounts included allegations of sexual harassment and verbal abuse, including inappropriate comments and behavior. One Wild Child employee told the newspaper that Sanders yelled at her in front of customers. The businesses’ co-owners, Derick and Shelley Shackelford, also responded to questions about Sanders’s role, the allegations and staffing.
A Reddit post that preceded The Star’s report alleged sexual harassment and physical violence involving Sanders and referred to an incident involving a staff member and a police report. Those claims remain allegations, and the available information does not establish whether any criminal or civil finding resulted.
A reported staff-party incident
The Star also described an April 21 staff party at Drastic Measures attended by about a dozen people and involving a physical altercation among staff. The reporting said the incident was followed by staffing changes, including Nate Tallman’s departure, and that the entire Drastic Measures staff later left. The available information does not independently establish the circumstances of the altercation or explain each employee’s departure.
Options for workers
The Kansas Human Rights Commission says employment and public-accommodation complaints generally must be filed within six months of the last alleged discriminatory act. Matters outside the commission’s jurisdiction or beyond that deadline may be referred to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission or other agencies.
The commission says it offers statewide third-party mediation through Kansas Legal Services. If both parties do not choose mediation, or mediation does not resolve the complaint, the matter may proceed to investigation. A commission investigation may include interviews with the complainant and witnesses, review of relevant documents, and a case summary prepared for an investigating commissioner.
What broader labor data can — and cannot — show
The accommodation-and-food-services sector had a quits rate of 3.5 in July 2026, seasonally adjusted and reported monthly, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis’ FRED series, which cites the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. That measure offers limited context for workers leaving hospitality jobs, but it does not explain any individual departure, show that a workplace was abusive, or connect the rate to Drastic Measures or Wild Child.
The central unresolved questions are whether any employee has filed a formal complaint, whether an agency or court has investigated the allegations, and whether additional documentary or witness evidence supports or contradicts the accounts reported by The Star. The information available here does not answer those questions.
