Il Fornaio to Pay $3 Million Over Sexual Harassment Allegations Involving Teen Workers

Il Fornaio (America) LLC has agreed to pay $3 million to settle a federal lawsuit alleging rampant sexual harassment and retaliation across its restaurant locations in California and Nevada. The settlement, announced by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) on October 13, 2024, follows claims that a class of at least 100 women was negatively affected by a hostile work environment.

The allegations, detailed in the case EEOC v. Il Fornaio (America) LLC, et al. (Case No. 2:22-cv-05992), describe a pattern of systemic abuse that frequently targeted young, entry-level workers. According to the federal filing, many of the female employees subjected to the harassment were teenagers. The at least 100 women identified by investigators were reportedly subjected to forceful groping in restrooms, the grabbing of private parts, and other forms of physical and verbal misconduct.

The severity of the allegations is highlighted by specific local incidents, including reports from the chain’s Carmel, California location. In that instance, a 17-year-old hostess allegedly had her complaints dismissed by managers after being harassed by kitchen staff. The EEOC lawsuit, which was originally filed in 2022 in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, argued that these incidents were not isolated but represented a broader failure to protect vulnerable staff members.

Il Fornaio must implement new training and internal monitoring as part of the federal agreement.

Corporate Oversight and Company Denial

Il Fornaio is currently owned by the Tokyo-based Create Restaurant Group and operates approximately 15 locations, primarily in California and Nevada. Despite the settlement, the company has officially denied the allegations of a “company-wide pattern” of harassment. In statements following the agreement, the company maintained that it did not engage in a practice of discrimination, though it agreed to the financial and structural terms of the settlement to resolve the litigation.

The $3 million payout will be distributed among the affected women.

The case serves as a notable example of federal oversight regarding the protection of minors in the service industry, where the EEOC has increasingly focused on the vulnerability of young workers in high-pressure environments.

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