Applebee’s operator settles sexual harassment lawsuit for $270,000
By Shannon Delcambre
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BIRMINGHAM, Alabama (WVTM) — A restaurant operator has settled a lawsuit over allegations that young workers were harassed at a location in Shelby County.
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) said Quality Restaurant Concepts, the operator of dozens of Applebee’s restaurants across the Southeast, has agreed to pay $270,000 to settle a federal sexual harassment lawsuit.
The EEOC said a general manager at the Chelsea Applebee’s location repeatedly made unwanted sexual comments, advances, and physical contact toward female employees, including minors, beginning in April 2023.
Despite complaints about this conduct and the general manager’s prior history at another Quality Restaurant Concepts restaurant, the company failed to act, according to the EEOC.
The lawsuit also alleged that other employees and customers engaged in similar behavior.
“Employers have a duty to protect young workers, who are among the most vulnerable employees in the workplace, especially in the restaurant industry,” said Marsha Rucker, regional attorney for the EEOC’s Birmingham District Office. “By enacting strong policies and procedures to ensure that all complaints of sexual harassment are taken seriously and adequately investigated, employers can better fulfill their obligations under federal law to create a safe work environment free from harassment.”
As part of the settlement, the company must implement new training, policy changes, and stronger reporting procedures.
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