UPDATE: This story has been updated with a statement from Carrabba's parent Bloomin' Brands.
Carrabba's Italian Grill will pay $690,000 to settle a sexual harassment lawsuit brought by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the agency said in a news release Dec. 9.
According to the complaint filed Oct. 26 in Florida Middle District Court, the managing partner of a Carrabba's in Brandon, Fla., subjected female employees to "unwelcome conduct" and sexual comments and threatened their employment if they didn't submit to his advances.
Sean Bommarito was hired in September 2016, and Carrabba's managers became aware of his behavior that year, the complaint said. But they didn't do anything to stop it until November 2018, when Bommarito was fired.
The EEOC accused Carrabba's and OS Restaurants Services, an affiliate of Carrabba's parent Bloomin' Brands, of violating Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits employment discrimination based on sex.
In accordance with a consent decree approved last week by the court, the $690,000 will be split among the victims. The EEOC will decide how much money each woman receives based on the severity and duration of the harassment and the emotional harm it caused.
Carrabba's and OS will also implement a new sexual harassment policy and investigation procedures in all of its restaurants. HR employees and managers that work for restaurants in the Brandon and Venice, Fla., markets will also have to attend sexual harassment training.
"The dedication of our Carrabba’s employees to provide excellent food and service is second to none," Bloomin' said in a statement. "That is why this matter involving a manager we terminated in 2018 is so disappointing. We are committed to fostering an inclusive and harassment-free work environment and promptly addressing all reports of misconduct."
The EEOC commended Carrabba's for working to resolve the suit.
"The company’s willingness to address the EEOC’s concerns and its agreement to implement measures to ensure that any sexual harassment complaints are properly addressed will benefit its thousands of workers across the country," said EEOC Regional Attorney Robert Weisberg in a statement.
However, it also said the case is a reminder that sexual harassment remains a serious issue. It has been a problem in the restaurant industry in particular, which in recent years has seen accusations leveled against high-profile restaurateurs Mario Batali, Mike Isabella and others.
"It’s critical that employers have effective policies and programs to prevent workplace harassment," said EEOC Chair Charlotte A. Burrows.
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