Another hostess at Nobu Malibu has filed a lawsuit against the renowned celebrity dining establishment, alleging incidents of sexual harassment involving both managers and customers.
This latest legal action was initiated on a Monday and submitted to the Los Angeles Superior Court by an individual identified as Jayne Doe II. The lawsuit levels serious accusations, including claims of sexual assault and battery, gender discrimination, harassment, retaliation, failure to prevent discrimination and harassment, as well as negligent hiring and supervision.
Within this lawsuit, the plaintiff is seeking unspecified compensatory and punitive damages. It’s worth noting that just a few days prior, on September 13th, a 23-year-old hostess had also sued the same restaurant, alleging that she and her female colleagues were routinely subjected to sexual assault by both customers and managers.
Notably, there has been no immediate response from a representative of Nobu regarding this most recent legal action.
Additionally, the legal complaint highlights that Nobu’s clientele includes notable figures such as the Kardashians, Beyonce, and Justin Bieber.
The lawsuit contends that Nobu fails to adequately protect its young hostesses, who are required to greet guests in revealing black uniforms, from what it terms as “overt sexual harassment” by both patrons and supervisors.
Further within the lawsuit, Jayne Doe II is suing a former bar manager referred to as Marcus. She alleges that in December 2021, Marcus engaged in inappropriate conduct by approaching her from behind, making physical contact, and making suggestive comments. Shocked by his behavior, Jayne Doe II distanced herself from Marcus, firmly denying his advances.
While Marcus was terminated in early 2022, the lawsuit claims that he was subsequently allowed back into Nobu as a “quasi-patron” for several months. It also suggests that the plaintiff was assigned less favorable shifts as a response to her complaints regarding Marcus’s alleged actions.
The lawsuit paints a picture of a work environment where the plaintiff and several fellow hostesses, some of whom had reported Marcus’s behavior leading to his dismissal, lived in fear of encountering him during or after their shifts. Additionally, it details that a colleague of Jayne Doe II experienced emotional distress in September 2022 upon encountering Marcus.
As a result of these experiences, the lawsuit asserts that Jayne Doe II continues to endure mental distress, anguish, indignation, embarrassment, and has also suffered a loss of earnings.
