Imbesi Christensen files class action against Johnny Utah’s for hyper-sexualized work environment

NEW YORK - June 18, 2014 - PRLog -- Imbesi Christensen has filed a class action lawsuit on behalf of female employees against Johnny Utah’s, a Wild West themed bar and restaurant in midtown. The class of female servers, bartenders, hostesses and “Daisy Duke” girls alleges that the women were degraded and humiliated on a daily basis by being forced to wear provocative clothing, flirt with their male customers and consume excessive amounts of alcohol while on the job.  The complaint also alleges that the female employees are expected to sit on male customers laps, get them to buy the servers shots, and "dance on top of the bar in front of customers and pour shots of alcohol into customers' mouths."  Managers even require the female employees to ride the dangerous mechanical bull with other female employees and male customers.

The lawsuit is also filed as a class action on behalf of all service employees, including the male bartenders, bussers, runners and bar backs for alleged violations of federal and state wage and hour laws. Specifically, the lawsuit claims that Johnny Utah’s failed each week to pay employees for any hours worked over 40 hours and also forced employees to work off the clock.  In addition to naming Johnny Utah’s, the lawsuit named John Sullivan as an individual defendant. Sullivan is the owner of McFadden’s, Calico Jack’s, Tavern on Third and numerous other restaurants and bars in Manhattan.

Questions relating to this class action lawsuit should be made to Jeanne Christensen, Esq. Ms. Christensen can be reached at (212) 736-5588.