SEXUAL HARASSMENT: Starbucks Reached Settlement to End Lawsuit Alleging Sexual Demands at Work

June 4, 2010

Orange County – Starbucks has reached a settlement with a former employee who alleged that the company failed to protect her from sex demands by a store manager.

The lawsuit was filed against the coffee giant by 20-year-old Kati Moore who says the demands for sex started when she worked as a barista.

She was 16 at that time and admitted to a sexual relationship with store manager, 24-year-old Tim Horton.

Moore alleges that Horton would summon her for sex everyday and would send hundreds of texts including one that said “I’d like to f--- tomorrow.”

Moore claims that the other supervisors knew what was happening but no one acted to stop the relationship.

After her mother discovered the relationship, she alerted prosecutors who filed charges to Horton.

Horton has since then been removed from his job and has pleaded guilty to one felony charge of illegal sex with a minor and had served four months in prison.

After the lawsuit has been filed, Starbucks released a statement debunking the allegations saying that the two employees concealed their relationship, which violated company policies and they were confident that the courts will side with them.

Starbucks has existing policies regarding manager to employee relationships but does not have specific rules regarding minors.

The settlement was reached weeks before the lawsuit was set to go to trial.

Neither Moore nor Starbucks would discuss the terms of the settlement.

The case has been featured on ABC’s 20/20 when it discussed the occurrence of sexual harassment involving teens.