The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filed a lawsuit Monday against Paia Inn, alleging the Maui hotel owner sexually harassed young female employees and fired those who complained about the behavior.
According to the lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Hawaii, the owner repeatedly subjected female staff, including teenagers, to unwanted touching, sexual advances and inappropriate comments since at least 2015.
“Employers have a responsibility to create a safe working environment for their employees, especially when the company hires young employees who may not know their rights and may be particularly vulnerable to harassment in the workplace,” said Anna Park, regional attorney for the EEOC’s Los Angeles District.
The complaint alleges the owner demanded massages while naked, propositioned employees for sexual encounters and made offensive comments about female employees’ appearances in front of male friends who patronized the hotel.
The EEOC also claims the owner required photos as part of the application process to hire “attractive female applicants” and immediately terminated an employee who defended female colleagues against harassment.
“The allegations set forth in this lawsuit are despicable. The owner of a company sets the tone for the entire workforce, and by openly harassing employees in front of other staff and patrons he created a hostile workplace,” said Laura Ishida, acting director for the EEOC’s Honolulu Local Office.
The federal agency seeks monetary damages, including compensatory and punitive damages, along with injunctive relief to prevent future violations. The lawsuit was filed after attempts to reach a pre-litigation settlement through voluntary conciliation failed.
The case (No.: 1:25-cv-00199) alleges violations of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits sex discrimination and retaliation against those who report harassment.
