Owner of Manhattan bar Sweet & Vicious to pay $500,000 for harassing workers: New York AG James
A Bowery area bar owner who often referred to female workers as “cows” and “b---hes” certainly wasn’t a treat to work for.
Employees at Sweet & Vicious say they faced rampant sexual and racial-based harassment, had tips stolen by managers and were subject to inappropriate comments from owner Hakan Karamahmutoglu, according to an investigation led by state Attorney General Letitia James’ office.
“For far too long, workers in the hospitality industry have been forced to weather a pervasive culture of sexual harassment and discrimination that has gone unreported,” James said. “Every New Yorker should be able to go to work free from fear of abuse and degradation regardless of industry, and I pledge to continue to stand with all workers in the face of these harmful practices.”
New York State Attorney General Letitia James holds a press conference Wednesday, July 13, 2022, in Manhattan, New York with a group of former workers of the Sweet and Vicious bar after securing a settlement for sexual harassment, discrimination, wage theft and other charges against the bar owner located in the Soho area. (Luiz C. Ribeiro/)
Karamahmutoglu agreed to a $500,000 settlement that will be split among at least 16 former employees of the Spring St. mainstay for violating state and city human rights and labor laws, James said during a Wednesday morning news conference.
Celebrity chef Mario Batali must serve up $600,000 in sexual harassment settlement
The settlement follows a 16-month investigation into the skeevy workplace culture at the watering hole that revealed a “pervasive culture of discrimination and repeated pattern of harassment.”
According to audio James played at the news conference, Karamahmutoglu routinely scrutinized the appearance of female employees, commenting on their bodies and clothing, and instructed managers to hire only women who were “tall, blond, beautiful.”
Katy Guest speaks during a press conference at the New York State Attorney General Letitia James' offices in Manhattan, New York on Wednesday, July 13, 2022, with a group of former workers of the Sweet & Vicious bar. (Luiz C. Ribeiro/)
He also referred to Black employees and bouncers as “gangsters” and called a Puerto Rican manager a “terrorist” and “Puerto Rican trash.”
Multiple women who worked at the bar endured sexual harassment from male managers, who would often make unwanted advances, according to James. Bartenders also experienced frequent harassment from violent customers who would threaten to stab, rape and beat them.
A partial view of the Sweet & Vicious bar on Spring St. in Manhattan, New York. (Luiz C. Ribeiro/)
Women who worked eight-hour bar shifts were not permitted to have their phones, drink or use the bathroom while male managers were not held to the same standards, James said.
Katy Guest, a former Sweet & Vicious employee, said she was initially reluctant to speak out at Wednesday’s news conference, but wanted to show others that standing up can lead to real results.
“This situation is certainly not the first of its kind, nor is it the last,” she said. “Not speaking up is detrimental to our mental health and emotional capacity. This is a success story that I hope will continue to inspire others to recognize their self-worth and the power of fighting for what’s right.”
Spotted Pig owner settles sexual harassment case brought by ex-employees
Sweet & Vicious opened in 1998 and quickly became a popular spot due to its frozen margaritas and expansive by Manhattan standards backyard. According to the bar’s website, it is looking to hire “seasonal” bartenders.
Applicants should be warned, however, that in addition to harassment, employees were not compensated with overtime pay when they worked more than 40 hours a week and one employee spent approximately 30 hours completing personal work for the owner but never received compensation, according to James.
New York State Attorney General Letitia James holds a press conference in Manhattan, New York on Wednesday, July 13, 2022, with a group of former workers of the Sweet and Vicious bar after securing a settlement for sexual harassment, discrimination, wage theft and other charges against the bar owner located in the Soho area. (Luiz C. Ribeiro/)
Multiple employees also reported instances of tip theft when customers would leave tips on credit cards. Karamahmutoglu also failed to provide consistent wage notices and statements to employees.
In a statement to The New York Times, Karamahmutoglu said that many of the allegations included in the report were either not true or misleading.
He claims he signed the settlement agreement in order to “avoid the cost of a continued investigation, avoid future litigation and allow everyone to move on.”
James’ office has targeted restaurant owners in the past, including delivering $600,000 last year to survivors of sexual harassment and discrimination at spots owned by famed chef Mario Batali and Joseph Bastianich.
In 2020, her office also secured $240,000 for 11 former employees of Ken Friedman’s the Spotted Pig.
