SHELTER ISLAND, NEW YORK: Marie Eiffel, the owner of Marie Eiffel Market and Restaurant, has been sued by eight of her workers for sexual assault and harassment.
The lawsuit, filed in US District Court on Friday, September 1, 2023, claimed that Eiffel “routinely spanked [employees] on the buttocks, groped female employees’ breasts, choked employees and made sexually harassing, demeaning discriminatory comments about their race.”
Eiffel’s beloved restaurant is one of the trendy spots in Shelter Island, which is often visited by several celebrities, including Christie Brinkley, Bradley Cooper, Anne Hathaway, and Jessica Chastain.
Her website also describes her as a "Shelter Island legend" and "bold as the coffee she serves".
What are the accusations against Marie Eiffel?
The shocking lawsuit claimed that the eight employees, who came from Thailand, Colombia, Malaysia, and Ecuador, worked seasonally for Eiffel for four months in 2021 and 2022.
They all were allegedly employed under the US government's J1 program, which offers cultural and educational exchanges for foreign workers. Businesses often use this program to increase the size of their summer staff.
In addition to Eiffel, they are also suing the New York-based company InterExchange, which sponsored them to work in the US.
In their complaint, the workers described themselves as "survivors of human trafficking seeking redress for rampant sexual assault, battery, discrimination, harassment and wage theft perpetrated through" abuse of the program, according to Daily Mail.
Plaintiffs also claimed that they suffered continuous harassment that "included constantly spanking employees on the buttocks while they were alone, in front of other employees, and even in front of customers, groping female employees' bodies, including their breasts, and kissing employees."
They further claim that Eiffel "wrapped her hands around the necks of multiple employees and choked them."
“Marie acted as though she believed that such egregious behavior was funny. On at least one occasion, Marie ordered an employee to record her spanking an employee on the buttocks with a bunch of parsley while she laughed at the camera,” according to the lawsuit, which also included photo evidence that appears to show Eiffel spanking someone with parsley.
Additionally, the lawsuit claims that the defendants violated state labor regulations by failing to pay certain amounts of workers’ salaries and withholding tips.
The lawsuit includes documentation of the employees working 10-plus hour shifts over 20 days a month for most of the summer of 2022.
They're requesting damages, restitution, injunctive relief, and payment for all legal fees from Eiffel and InterExchange.
How did Marie Eiffel react to accusations leveled against her?
In a statement to the Shelter Island Reporter on Tuesday, Eiffel refuted the allegations, stating that she had not yet been served but had hired an attorney.
Eiffel believes the lawsuit was the result of her interactions with a disgruntled former employee, whom she described as "a troubled young man".
The owner also claims that tips weren't in the workers' contracts, though Eiffel wants them to be tipped and claims workers she hired were given "bonus" tips.
She sent a journalist emails from three of her employees who worked for her this summer, all lauding her for her efforts.
