TAMPA, Fla. — Joey’s New York Pizza and Italian Restaurant, a chain of eateries in the Tampa area, will pay $55,000 and implement significant policy and training reforms to settle a federal sexual harassment lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the agency announced today.

In its lawsuit, the EEOC charged that one of the owners, who directly manages three of its locations, created a hostile work environment by targeting young female employees, including at least one teenager, with inappropriate sexual behavior. When one of the women complained in August 2023, the company failed to intervene or take appropriate action, the EEOC said.

“The EEOC appreciates Joey’s Pizza’s willingness to work collaboratively to resolve this matter at an early stage,” said Kristen Foslid, regional attorney for the EEOC’s Miami District. “The training and monitoring implemented through this consent decree are designed to ensure that the young women entering the workforce have a safe and respectful workplace where they can succeed.”

The conduct alleged in EEOC’s complaint violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The EEOC filed suit (EEOC v. Joeys New York Pizza II, LLC et al., Case No. 8:26-cv-01889-TPB-LSG) in U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida after first attempting to reach a voluntary pre-litigation settlement through its conciliation process.

EEOC Tampa Field Office Director Tamra S. Schweiberger said, “Ensuring workplaces are free from sexual harassment remains a top priority for the EEOC. This agency remains steadfast in its mission to combat sexual harassment in the workplace.”

In addition to providing monetary relief to the charging party and a class member, the consent decree requires Joey’s Pizza to implement meaningful equitable relief, including mandatory training for owners, human resources personnel, management and employees. Joey’s Pizza will also hire an outside equal employment consultant and revise its sexual harassment policy.

For more information on sexual harassment, please visit https://www.eeoc.gov/sexual-harassment.

The EEOC’s Youth@Work website presents information for teens and other young workers about employment discrimination, including curriculum guides for students and teachers and videos to help young workers learn about their rights and responsibilities.

The Miami District Office’s jurisdiction includes Florida, Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands.

The EEOC is the sole federal agency authorized to investigate and litigate against businesses and other private sector employers for violations of federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination. For public sector employers, the EEOC shares jurisdiction with the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division. The EEOC also is responsible for coordinating the federal government’s employment antidiscrimination effort. More information about the EEOC is available at www.eeoc.gov.