Morton’s Cook Claims Sex Harassment in Restaurant Kitchen

A hostile work environment filled with sexual taunting, physical abuse, and vegetables used in a phallic way, is how a cook at a Morton’s Steakhouse in Boca Raton, Florida described his work environment in a recent lawsuit. The complaint of Reginald Williams, filed in the Circuit Court in Palm Beach County, Florida alleges that he was sexually harassed by his co-workers.  The allegations in the Complaint include that one of his co-workers paraded around the kitchen with stalks of asparagus in his pants to simulate an erect penis, grabbed Williams’ buttocks and licked his ear, and that other co-workers asked him whether he wanted oral sex.  The Complaint accuses Morton’s management of turning a blind eye to the harassment.  After an alleged sexual attack by a co-worker in the storage area, Williams made a report to the police and did not return to work. Williams seeks compensatory and punitive damages for assault, battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and violations of his civil rights.