Razzoo's settles gender discrimination case for $1 million

DALLAS — Restaurant chain Razzoo's Cajun Cafe has agreed to spend $1 million to settle discrimination charges alleging it limited the hiring and promotion of male bartenders.

In the consent decree settling the lawsuit filed by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Razzoo's denies the actions.

The company agreed to pay $775,000, which will be divided among male employees who allegedly were discriminated. Razzoo's also must spend at least $225,000 to hire a personnel consultant or establish an in-house human resources department, the EEOC said in a statement this week.

The EEOC filed a discrimination lawsuit against Addison-based Razzoo's, saying the restaurant chain "communicated to managers by e-mail a plan for an 80-20 ratio of women to men" bartenders.

"Some may think that sex sells drinks, but gender ratios are illegal," said EEOC attorney Suzanne Richardson in a statement. "Razzoo's' decision to hire and promote by gender is a clear violation of federal law."

Company attorney Bob Luxen said Razzoo's never discriminated against "any employee or applicant" and denied there was ever a 80-20 policy.

"We never discriminated in the past. We will not in the future," Luxen said.

Luxen said Razzoo's settled to avoid the disruptions and expenses brought by a trial.

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Information from: Fort Worth Star-Telegram, http://www.star-telegram.com

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