Swami Pancakes LLC, the owner of an IHOP franchise, has agreed to pay $70,000 and to implement changes after a sexual harassment lawsuit was filed against the company by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).The lawsuit claimed that the franchise owner and manager sexually harassed employees “through unwelcome touching, stalking, and sexual comments,” reads the EEOC’s press release. The lawsuit claims that the women were asked repeatedly to go out to dinner, groped in the back-storage room, and suffered other misconduct.“The three-year consent decree requires the owner and manager of Swami Pancakes, LLC to receive one-on-one training for sexual harassment,” reads the release. The franchise will distribute a “comprehensive” anti-harassment policy to all employees and will improve on all training.“Sexual harassers that take advantage of their power over employees must be held accountable,” said Robert Weisberg, regional attorney for the EEOC.# # #If you are a victim of discrimination or harassment, please do not hestitate to reach out to one of our Civil Rights Attorneys, at 212-619-5400.# # #To view the full release, click here: https://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/newsroom/release/1-23-20.cfm
