Restaurateur Dean Poll just can't catch a break. First the city goes after him in 2007 for millions in unpaid taxes from the Central Park Boathouse, then he loses his contract to run the Tavern on the Green because of union troubles, then his further union problems are caught on tape and now six current and former employees have filed a complaint alleging that the Boathouse is a hotbed of sexual harassment.
According to the complaint, unwanted incidents at the Boathouse included a manager showing cellphone pics of a woman he allegedly bedded, unasked for breast fondling by managers, attempts by managers to force waitresses to date them, overworking of pregnant employees in attempts to get them to quit (after they refused to date their managers), and open discussions among male employees of which staff members and customers they would like to sleep with. Also, one "supervisor once urged a female subordinate to hug him so he could 'feel my boobs.'"
Poll and his management team are denying the allegations, but that hasn't stopped Public Advocate Bill de Blasio from urging Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe to revoke his contract to operate the restaurant. "There's a consistent pattern here of sexual harassment, stealing employees' tips, preventing people from joining a union," de Blasio said. "It doesn't fit the values of this city and it violates the law. We can't in good conscience say this is a vendor we should be doing business with."
