Superior at KC fine-dining restaurant stalked, sexually harassed employee, lawsuit says
A lawsuit filed in Jackson County circuit court alleges that for six months in 2023, an employee at at Eddie V’s Prime Seafood in Kansas City’s Country Club Plaza was sexually harassed and assaulted by a superior and faced retaliation when she complained.
On multiple occasions, the 23-year-old employee said she faced hostile comments, was underpaid for her time at work and said she was the victim of assault and battery. The plaintiff filed the suit against her senior-level co-worker and the restaurant corporate management for sexual discrimination and harassment, retaliation, violation of the Missouri minimum wage law, common law assault and common law battery.
“She’s just a lovely lady, a genuine, sweet warm soul and did not deserve to have this happen to her,” the plaintiff’s lawyer, Douglas Carter said.
The plaintiff worked as a server and bartender. According to court documents, the defendant was given authority to decide when she was allowed to leave after she completed additional end-of-shift work, which is described in the suit as “excessive amounts of non-tip-producing work.”
During her first month, the suit alleges one of the defendants, a senior-level co-worker, initiated a “personal relationship” that “sought intimate sexual relations.” At the end of the second month, the plaintiff told him that the advances were no longer welcome and to stop.
That’s when, the suit alleges, the co-worker became increasingly hostile, aggressive and angry. On multiple occasions, he allegedly did things like called her names to other co-workers, offered her money in exchange for sex, yelled obscenities and threats, engaged in hostile sexual contact, stalked her and damaged property, according to the lawsuit.
The actions left the plaintiff in fear for her safety, if not her life, the suit said.
On April 28, 2023, the plaintiff alleged she was finishing her shift in the restroom when she heard her co-worker yelling, so she ran to the restaurant exit. The defendant, according to the suit, assaulted a man in the dining room who he accused of having sex with the plaintiff.
Multiple reports were filed to restaurant management about the behavior, which were allegedly escalated to the corporate office. Despite that, the lawsuit alleges corporate management — also named in the suit — failed to act, and instead continued to allow the two to work the same shift and to allow the defendant to decide when she could leave.
After no action was taken, the lawsuit states that the plaintiff had no other choice but to resign from her position.
“The harassment has negatively affected me both physically and mentally. I’m not sleeping well, have become depressed and no matter how many times I’ve shared with you and other managers what is going on, nothing happens,” the plaintiff said in her resignation letter.
“I’m exhausted and feel as if I have been continually invalidated. Although I wanted to keep my job at Eddie V’s, this is intolerable. I do not feel safe being at Eddie V’s anymore and can no longer work under these conditions,” she stated.
The plaintiff has requested a jury trial. She is seeking back pay, as well as punitive damages, unpaid wages, compensatory damages and to have it ruled that the restaurant violated the state’s minimum wage law.
The Star was unable to reach the defendant or an attorney representing the defendant for comment. A restaurant spokesperson for Eddie V’s has not responded to a request for comment.
The Star’s Robert A. Cronkleton contributed to this report.
