Sizzler to pay $300,000 to cook harassed at Redwood City restaurant
Bob Egelko, Chronicle Staff Writer

Friday, August 29, 2008

(08-29) 10:58 PDT REDWOOD CITY -- Sizzler USA has agreed to pay $300,000 to settle a lawsuit by a federal civil rights agency claiming that a Mexican American cook at a Redwood City restaurant was harassed by a co-worker who called her names, touched her inappropriately and threatened her with a knife.

The settlement, approved by a federal judge, will compensate Patricia Huizache for the harm she suffered while working at the restaurant from April to October 2004, said the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

Huizache said a fellow cook repeatedly made comments about her body, touched her without permission and told her Mexican women were stupid and good only for sex. He later threatened her with a knife, she said.

She eventually quit the job because she feared for her safety.

Huizache said her supervisor had dismissed her complaints and failed to stop the harassment.

The case "highlights all-too-frequent problems that many immigrant workers face," said Michael Baldonado, acting director of the commission's San Francisco regional office.

Sizzler has more than 270 restaurants in the United States. The settlement, which contains no admission of wrongdoing, requires the company to conduct anti-harassment training for all managers and employees at the Redwood City restaurant and post notices advising workers of their rights.

Sizzler said it had agreed to the settlement only because the cook accused of harassing Huizache has left the company and can't be located. Since 2004, the company said in a statement, Sizzler "has added a number of personnel policies and training programs to ensure a harassment-free environment."

E-mail Bob Egelko at begelko@sfchronicle.com.

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