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The Honolulu Advertiser

Posted on: Friday, November 21, 2003

Roy's to pay 3 women $245K

By Deborah Adamson
Advertiser Staff Writer

Roy's Poipu Bar and Grill restaurant on Kaua'i has agreed to pay $245,000 to settle a federal lawsuit that accused restaurant management of ignoring female employees' complaints about sexual harassment by a former manager.

Roy's is part of Newport Beach, Calif.-based RY-4 Inc., which is principally owned by celebrity chef Roy Yamaguchi.

Terry Lee, vice president of RY-4, said in a statement that "the company terminated the harasser as soon as the three employees reported his alleged behavior. The company has not admitted doing anything wrong. It entered into the settlement to avoid time-consuming and costly litigation."

The company has agreed to pay the three female employees $245,000 and to train managers and workers to prevent or respond appropriately to incidents of sexual harassment.

Sexual harassment "is a pretty serious matter," said Wilfredo Tungol, trial attorney for the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in Honolulu, which filed the lawsuit. "We want to make sure the workplace is safe."

Lee said the company has a policy against sexual harassment, which the EEOC said was "correct."

The federal lawsuit was filed in December after both sides failed to reach a settlement informally. The dispute mainly centered on how much money the restaurant should pay to the three employees, Tungol said.

The incidents of sexual harassment allegedly went on for a couple of years and included inappropriate touching. Tungol said the employees complained about the incidents to the company, but the harassment continued.

Moreover, the employee was promoted during that time, Tungol said. He was fired more than a year ago as complaints continued.

"It was severe and pervasive," Tungol said. "The women did not get prompt and corrective action, that's why the harassment continued."

But RY-4 said it took action as soon as it found out about the complaints.

Reach Deborah Adamson at dadamson@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8088.