Swami’s Café and Honey’s Bistro, two restaurant chains in San Diego, have agreed to pay $650,000 to settle a federal sexual harassment and retaliation lawsuit. The settlement, announced this week, ends a two-year legal process started by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). It applies to all nine locations of the restaurants. The case involved claims that, since 2019, teenage and young female employees experienced inappropriate touching, offensive comments, and retaliation after reporting concerns.
The EEOC filed the lawsuit in 2023. The complaint stated that young women reported repeated harassment by male co-workers and supervisors. Some employees who complained said they faced negative consequences or lost their jobs. The settlement includes a court-approved agreement. Swami’s and Honey’s must hire an independent EEO monitor, set up a complaint hotline, and update anti-retaliation policies. The restaurants are also required to offer reinstatement to affected employees and remove negative references from their records.
John Nolan, a former manager at Swami’s Encinitas location, denies the allegations. Nolan, who managed the restaurant for over twenty years, says he was not contacted by investigators, charged, or sued. He disputes the EEOC’s account and says he has faced negative attention as a result. Nolan also disagrees with claims about underage staff and says most employees supported him…