EEOC Sues a Houston Restaurant Chain for Sexual Harassment

January 25, 2012

Houston– The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has sued a Houston-area restaurant chain for violating Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 after the owner subjected its bartenders to sexual harassment and retaliation.

According to the lawsuit filed by the EEOC, Berryhill Baja Grill subjected Kimberly Kulig and Laura Baatz to repeated sexual harassment from 2006 to 2008. The wrongdoer, Philip Wattel, was the owner of two Berryhill restaurants.

The sexual harassment described in the lawsuit included groping the two and indecent exposure by the restaurant owner.

The two bartenders complained about it to the owner himself, the store manager, and a corporate human resources official. But this was proven futile, as the crude acts continued on.

The restaurant chain was also found to have no sexual harassment policies at that point in time.

The two claimants filed discrimination charges with the EEOC initially, but Berryhill retaliated by giving Kulig an unfavorable work schedule. Baatz was refused to rehire.

Kulig later on was forced to resign December 2007 because of the ongoing act. Baatz was terminated two months later.