WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) – The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) announced a lawsuit Dec. 20 against Capital Restaurant Concepts LTD, doing business as Paolo's GT-LLC, for allegations of subjecting an employee to harassment based on his sexual orientation.
EEOC claims that an 18-year-old gay employee was subjected to workplace harassment by kitchen staff and a dining room employee at Paolo’s GT-LLC in Georgetown. The alleged misconduct includes anti-gay epithets and offensive comments about the employee’s sexuality.
When the employee purportedly complained to management, he was told he was “being too sensitive,” according to the EEOC. The employee tried to escalate the complaints to upper management but was ostracized to the point he felt he needed to resign, EEOC charges.
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 bans workplace sex discrimination. This includes discrimination based on sexual orientation.
"The filing of this suit demonstrates EEOC's commitment to combating discrimination based on sexual orientation," said EEOC Regional Attorney Debra Lawrence. "No one, particularly a teenager, should be subjected to this type of treatment in the workplace."
EEOC seeks compensatory and punitive damages for the employee, as well as injunctive relief to prevent future discrimination by the defendants.