Il Fornaio, the California-based Italian restaurant chain with multiple Southern California locations, will pay $3 million to settle a lawsuit from the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). The settlement resolves allegations of “ongoing, continuous and severe” sexual harassment impacting at least 100 female employees, many of whom were teenagers, according to the EEOC’s Los Angeles District.
The 2022 lawsuit alleged that Il Fornaio created a sexually hostile work environment for female employees and retaliated against those who reported it. The complaint claimed that supervisors and employees across numerous locations subjected female workers to repeated sexual harassment. This included forceful groping in restaurant bathrooms, multiple instances of grabbing female employees’ private parts, requests for sexual favors, and explicit references to sexual activities. The complaint further stated that male employees at “all levels” of the company, from the vice president of operations to line cooks and bussers, contributed to this environment, leading hundreds of women to resign due to the conditions.
Many of the locations named in the case are in Southern California, including Pasadena, Manhattan Beach, Irvine, Newport Beach, Woodland Hills, and Santa Monica, some of which have since closed. Specific allegations from Southern California restaurants were detailed in court documents:
In Pasadena, female employees described rampant sexual harassment from managers and staff. Incidents included a server rubbing his penis against a hostess’ back, and multiple instances of male employees grabbing women’s butts and making graphic comments about their bodies and sex lives.
At the Irvine location, a busser allegedly followed a female hostess into the women’s bathroom, cornered her against a wall, and groped her vagina.
In Manhattan Beach, chefs and servers were accused of rubbing their bodies against women and making unwelcome sexual comments.
Beyond Southern California, an amended complaint filed in 2024 detailed an instance at the Palo Alto location where a teenage employee informed managers she was raped by an older male employee. She was reportedly told that “nothing could be done because the rape happened outside of work,” despite experiencing harassment at work for months prior.
The EEOC’s lawsuit stated that numerous women complained to managers about sexual harassment, but these complaints were often disregarded. The lawsuit also highlighted that by July 2020, Il Fornaio had eliminated its Human Resources Department, leaving employees with no effective way to report harassment. Retaliatory actions against those who spoke up allegedly included worsening harassment, intimidation, reduced hours, and termination.
Representatives for Il Fornaio denied the allegations in court documents, stating there was “no companywide pattern or practice of discrimination, harassment, or retaliation.” Attorney Hope Case, representing the company, said in an email that Il Fornaio takes harassment seriously and prides itself on fostering a positive working environment. Case noted that the settlement is not an admission of liability or wrongdoing but a means to "avoid the burden, expense, and uncertainty of continued litigation."
In addition to the $3 million in compensation, the settlement agreement includes three years of company-wide workplace reforms. These reforms require Il Fornaio to maintain a dedicated human resources function for each restaurant and hire an external monitor to conduct audits and ensure compliance with Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. Title VII prohibits hostile workplace environments based on sex and retaliation against those who complain about sexual harassment.
Beatriz B. Andre, acting regional attorney for the EEOC’s Los Angeles District, stated that during the case, the agency learned of at least 100 women negatively affected by Il Fornaio’s work environment, noting that sexual harassment continues to be a widespread issue in the restaurant industry. Christine Park-Gonzalez, director of the agency’s Los Angeles District, added that "we are thankful to the women who came forward and courageously shared their stories."
Il Fornaio, which opened its first U.S. retail bakeries in San Francisco and Beverly Hills in 1981, has been owned by Japanese restaurant and food service group Create Restaurants Holdings since October 2019.