Men accuse restaurant of sexual harassment

by Luci Scott - Jul. 11, 2008 12:00 AM
The Arizona Republic
The Cheesecake Factory violated federal law by subjecting some male employees at its Chandler Fashion Center restaurant to a sexually hostile work environment, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission alleges in a lawsuit.
The lawsuit claims the restaurant allowed some male employees to be repeatedly sexually harassed by other male employees.
The assaults included a group of male employees reportedly grabbing another male worker and taking turns grinding on him in a sexual manner while making verbal remarks of a sexual nature, the commission said.
Other incidents reportedly included workers bumping into other male employees from behind in a sexual manner and grabbing their crotch area on multiple occasions.
The harassment had been going on since at least 2004, the commission said.
The lawsuit accuses the company of discriminating against Bryce Fitzpatrick, Michael Wilson, Albert Miller and other male employees.