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Lawsuit alleges rampant sexual harassment at Plaza Hotel
Six employees claim hotel management ignored their complaints
Did The Plaza Hotel turn a blind eye to rampant sexual harassment among its employees? Six former and current workers filed a lawsuit against the Midtown institution, claiming their superiors and co-workers routinely groped them and made harassing remarks.
When one of the employees complained to the hotel’s management, she was placed on leave, the suit alleges. “While patrons enjoy the iconic culture of The Plaza, many of its female employees are forced to endure a culture of a different type – rape culture,” the complaint reads.
In one instance, the hotel’s general manager allegedly followed a female employee into a coat closet and started kissing her. In another, a male employee allegedly told his female colleague he wanted to “eat your p—y.”
“They were dismissive of some very serious facts and allegations,” attorney Andrew Goodstadt said of management, according to the New York Post.
A spokesperson for Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, the hotel operator, said in a statement that “any attempt at harassment or discrimination toward our colleagues and guests has not and never will be tolerated.”
In late May, it was reported that Ashkenazy Acquisitions had bought a piece of Saudi Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal’s stake in the troubled hotel, and hopes to buy out various shareholders, including embattled Subrata Roy. Roy was seeking $600 million for his roughly 50 percent stake in the hotel portion, retail space and 100 hotel-condo rooms of the landmarked building. Al-Waleed and the government of Qatar previously offered $550 million, according to reports. [NYP] — Konrad Putzier