FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 15, 2025
EEOC Sues Paia Inn for Sexual Harassment and Retaliation
Federal Agency Charges Owner of Maui Hotel with Sexually Harassing Young Female Employees and Terminating Those Who Complained
HONOLULU – Paia Inn, a hotel on the North Shore of Maui, violated federal law when its owner sexually harassed a class of young female employees and terminated those who complained or tried to address the rampant sexual harassment, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) charged in a lawsuit filed today.
According to the EEOC’s lawsuit, since at least 2015, Paia Inn’s owner regularly preyed on a class of female employees, including some teenagers, and subjected them to sexual harassment. The harassment included repeated, frequent and offensive touching, along with sexual advances and comments. The owner demanded massages while he was naked, propositioned female employees for sexual encounters and inappropriately touched female employees, the EEOC said. In addition, the owner frequently commented on the female employees’ looks and bodies in front of male friends who patronized the hotel, and he insisted on hiring attractive female applicants after requiring their photos as part of the application process.
The owner immediately fired an employee who stood up for other female employees to stop the sexual harassment, while other employees who complained about the sexual harassment were terminated or forced to quit their jobs, the suit alleged.
Such alleged conduct violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex, including sexual harassment, as well as retaliation against individuals who complain about sexual harassment or engage in other protected activity. The EEOC filed suit in U.S. District Court for the District of Hawaii (Case No.: 1:25-cv-00199) after first attempting to reach a pre-litigation settlement through its voluntary conciliation process. The EEOC seeks monetary damages for the claimants, including compensatory and punitive damages, and injunctive relief against the employer to prevent such unlawful conduct in the future.
“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, which includes Hawaii. “The EEOC remains steadfast in its mission to combat sexual harassment in the workplace.”
Laura Ishida, acting director for the EEOC’s Honolulu Local Office, said, “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. Retaliation against those who are brave enough to stand up for themselves and others also sends a chilling message to anyone else in the workplace. This behavior is unacceptable and the EEOC stands ready to defend the civil rights of employees.”
For more information on retaliation, please visit https://www.eeoc.gov/retaliation. For more information on sexual harassment, please visit https://www.eeoc.gov/sexual-harassment.
The EEOC’s Youth@Work website presents information for teens and other young workers about employment discrimination, including curriculum guides for students and teachers and videos to help young workers learn about their rights and responsibilities.
This lawsuit was initiated by the EEOC’s Honolulu Local Office, one of five component offices of the agency’s Los Angeles District. The Los Angeles District Office has jurisdiction over parts of California and Nevada; the Hawaiian Islands; American Samoa; Guam; the Northern Mariana Islands; and Wake Island with offices in Los Angeles, Fresno, Las Vegas, San Diego, and Honolulu.
The EEOC is the sole federal agency authorized to investigate and litigate against businesses and other private sector employers for violations of federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination. For public sector employers, the EEOC shares jurisdiction with the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division; the EEOC is responsible for investigating charges against state and local government employers before referring them to DOJ for potential litigation. The EEOC also is responsible for coordinating the federal government’s employment antidiscrimination effort. More information about the EEOC is available at www.eeoc.gov. Stay connected with the latest EEOC news by subscribing to our email updates.
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Please contact nicole.stgermain@eeoc.gov or newsroom@eeoc.gov for media inquiries.
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