A Former Employee of Polo Bar Is Suing for Alleged Sexual Discrimination, Harassment, and Retaliation | Eater NY

"An upscale Ralph Lauren-branded Fifth Avenue bar and restaurant that opened at 1 E. 55th Street in 2015 is the subject of a lawsuit by former server/bartender Frank Nobiletti, who worked there for seven years beginning in 2017. He alleges he experienced "terrible sexual harassment" after a manager allegedly outed him as bisexual, and that harassment escalated after the restaurant reopened post-COVID in 2021, including coworkers making sexually explicit comments such as remarks about wanting to watch him have sex with his wife. The complaint describes alleged incidents of sexual assault — two involving managers, one allegedly touching his inner thigh and another grabbing his butt — and contends those managers were not disciplined, with one promoted despite allegedly allowing harassment. The suit also outlines an allegedly hostile work environment for women, saying, "upon information and belief," a long-time server showed nude photos of women they were dating to employees, "multiple female staff members" complained about a so-called "Rating Game" of female customers' attractiveness, and some male servers joked about "putting it in" with a particular coworker. The complaint alleges widespread substance misuse: "management and staff regularly drank alcohol and used illegal drugs during work hours with little to no consequences," with the restaurant's wine room reportedly a frequent site of cocaine use and one employee allegedly acting as a dealer; managers and staff are accused of drinking at private events "with management's knowledge and approval," sometimes consuming alcohol meant for customers or charging clients extra and drinking the difference. The plaintiff says he reported concerns to HR starting in fall 2023 (and through counsel) and was fired in February 2024 for drinking on the job, a termination he contends was retaliatory; the suit seeks a trial, lost wages, punitive damages, and attorney fees. The establishment disputes the allegations, stating, "We have high standards for how employees conduct themselves and no tolerance for misconduct, so we take swift action when these standards are not met. This includes Mr. Nobiletti's termination that was based on clear evidence of his misconduct. Because we take all employee-related concerns seriously, we thoroughly investigated Mr. Nobiletti's allegations and determined they have no merit." The restaurant has been managed by Apicii LLC since 2020, and previously by Gibsons Restaurant Group; the venue is noted as a celebrity haunt reportedly frequented by Jon Hamm, the Clintons, Drew Barrymore, Oprah Winfrey, and Jennifer Lopez." - Melissa McCart