California Waitress Forced to Wear Skimpy Outfit Sues for Sexual Harassment

Some restaurants attract customers by asking their waitresses to wear skimpy outfits, but one California woman didn’t like it when her employer, O’Hara’s Restaurant and Pub in Westwood, changed the dress code and forced her to wear a micromini skirt. She is now suing her bosses and the restaurant for sexual harassment and retaliation.

Courtney Scaramella told NBC 4, “I was appalled. I was offended. I kind of hoped it was a joke. They had a couple of ideas and this was one of them that they thought would increase foot traffic or something like that.”

Scaramella worked for the restaurant for over fours and was allowed to wear pants and a blouse. But her bosses soon asked her and other female employees to wear the plaid minis with only a Velcro to hold them together. The managers would place fans on the ground near the register so the skirts would blow up and expose their buttocks to patrons.

Scaramella was vocal about her objections to the new dress code and management stopped requiring employees wear the skirts. She wasn’t fired but her hours were cut drastically and she was eventually fired.

O’Hara’s asserts she quit and was not fired.

Scaramella is now suing O’Hara’s, co-owner Jack Bendetti and general manager Ronald McDonnell. A sexual harassment attorney makes it possible for those subjected to retaliation to recover their lost wages.

If you have ever been subjected to unwanted sexual attention at work you know how distressing it can be. This behavior creates a hostile working environment and can be stopped with the assistance of a sexual harassment lawyer.

Employees try to stop harassment by reporting it to their supervisors. But too often this fails and they must turn to a sexual harassment attorney to actually stop the abuse.