BurgerFi restaurant sued over alleged sexual harassment

Six BurgerFi employees have filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against the North Palm Beach, Florida, restaurant chain and Michael Scimonelli, manager of the Mentor and Cuyahoga Falls locations.

Plaintiffs Robert Crockett of Kirtland, Abigail Cleis of Mentor, Hannah Wolford of Highland Heights, Robyn Bookman of Mentor, Emma Metzler of Cuyahoga Falls and a Mentor juvenile are seeking unspecified damages, back pay, front pay, lost benefits and attorneys’ fees.

The suit, filed in Summit County Common Pleas Court by Cleveland attorneys Andrew Kabat and Shannon Polk, alleges:

• The plaintiffs witnessed and/or were subjected to numerous instances of sexual harassment and assault, including inappropriate touching, sexually explicit comments and sexual innuendo after Scimonelli, a Willoughby resident, was transferred by BurgerFi from Florida to Ohio in 2017.

• Scimonelli made repeated unwelcome sexual advances at male and female employees, even after they told him his actions were “unwelcome, offensive and unprofessional.”

• BurgerFi’s human resource department took no action after receiving an anonymous complaint about Scimonelli in January.

The alleged victims are seeking a trial before Judge Jason Wells.

Scimonelli was reportedly not at work Feb. 23 and unavailable for comment. Crockett, who is general manager of the Mentor location, declined comment when contacted about the lawsuit.

Elizabeth Rodriguez, a Miami attorney representing BurgerFi, said the chain does not tolerate harassment or discrimination.

“We received an email Feb. 2 about (the allegations), and we immediately started an investigation,” Rodriguez said. “We intend to defend the case. BurgerFi did nothing wrong.”