Three former waitresses at Grand Coney Diner in Grand Rapids have filed a federal lawsuit against the company, claiming that complaints of sexual harassment by a shift manager were ignored.
The waitress claim that they faced repeated sexual harassment while waiting tables at Grand Coney. They say, a shift manager there, continuously made sexually inappropriate comments, texted lewd pictures, and then would force the waitresses to erase the messages from their phone when they would show up to work.
The lawsuit, alleges that the diner’s parent company, Restaurant Partners Incorporated, witnessed and otherwise became aware of multiple instances of the harassment and failed to take any action to stop the harassment, says filing attorney Katherine Smith Kennedy.
“So what we are seeking because they were forced to quit their job and had to endure this harassment and assault,” Kennedy said “We are asking that all of the entities that are liable for his behavior be held accountable and that they be compensated for not only the suffering that they endured but that they company be punished for the lack of management in this situation and their failure to stop this harassment and assault when they could have.”
In response to the lawsuit Coney Partners LLC issued this statement which reads in part: “The Company prides itself on its positive relationships with its employees and the community. Coney Partners LLC denies the allegations against the company and plans to defend itself vigorously.”
“I’ve heard that line before, Kennedy said. “I don’t have a great reaction to it other than we will be prosecuting very vigorously.”
Meanwhile Coney Partners LLC says the shift manager is no longer with the company but his departure had nothing to do with the sexual harassment allegations.