By Godson Umejiego, Bureau Chief, The Americas

KVP, LP, doing business as Bouchon Restaurant, and KRM, Inc, doing business as Thomas Keller Restaurant Group, together operate a restaurant chain including restaurants such as French Laundry, Bouchon Bistro, and Bouchon Bakery, violated federal law by subjecting employees to sexual harassment, the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) charged in a lawsuit filed Thursday.

According to the EEOC’s lawsuit, since at least 2018, managers at Bouchon Las Vegas sexually harassed female and male employees on a daily basis. The harassment included unwanted and repeated sexual advances, sexual comments, sexually offensive conduct, and unwelcome physical contact. Despite receiving complaints, Bouchon and Thomas Keller Restaurant Group failed to take appropriate and effective action to prevent the ongoing sexual harassment. Instead, some employees who complained faced retaliation.

Such alleged conduct violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits a hostile work environment based on sex, including sexual harassment, as well as retaliation against individuals who complain about sexual harassment or engage in other protected activity. The EEOC filed suit (EEOC v. KVP, LP, et al., Case No. 2:23-cv-01308) in the U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada after first attempting to reach a pre-litigation settlement through its voluntary conciliation process. The EEOC seeks monetary damages for the claimants, including compensatory and punitive damages, and injunctive relief against the company to prevent such unlawful conduct in the future.

“Sexual harassment in the restaurant and hospitality industry is a common charge made to the EEOC,” said Anna Park, regional attorney for the EEOC’s Los Angeles District, which includes Las Vegas in its jurisdiction. “Employers have an obligation to ensure their worksites are free from harassment and retaliation and address such behavior if it arises.”

“Being faced with sexual harassment on a daily basis is a nightmare for employees. The impact of harassment on individuals can have long-lasting effects on the survivors,” said Las Vegas Local Office Director Michael Mendoza. “The EEOC will continue to work tirelessly to stop and rectify harassment and retaliation in the workplace.”

The EEOC advances opportunity in the workplace by enforcing federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination.