More sexual harassment claims in the U.S. are filed by restaurant employees than workers in any other industry with as many as 90% of women and 70% of men in the sector reported experiencing some form of sexual harassment.
On Tuesday, January 19, 2021, at 12:00 pm EST, as an advocacy and part of its public service to support women, Les Dames d’Escoffier New York (LDNY) presents a free virtual discussion with an expert panel to provide employers and employees with best practices for preventing, recognizing, and addressing harassment of all kinds in the hospitality industries.
The Institute of Culinary Education is the Gold Sponsor for this event. Thanks to this support, the event is free to attend with advanced registration via Eventbrite (link).
“The embedded culture of harassment in all sectors of our industry – received from employers, colleagues, clients, and customers alike – has to stop, and offering our workforce strong tools to thwart this should come from the top,” said LDNY Co-President Jen O’Flanagan of Feast PR. Her LDNY Co-President Jenifer Lang, the former Managing Director of Café des Artistes, added “Harassment is insidious and needs to be attacked from every angle. Our goal is to empower the victims to defend themselves: legally, physically, and professionally.”
This “Breaking the Silence: Confronting Harassment in the Hospitality Industry” webinar will feature six panelists including Taryn Abrahams, MFT, SHRM-CP Founder/CEO, Empower Behavioral Services, LLC, Saru Jayaraman, an academic at UC Berkeley and the President of One Fair Wage, a national organization, Theodora Lee, Shareholder, Littler Mendelson P.C. and owner of Theopolis Vineyards, Ashley Oberdorff, PHR, Director, Empowered Hospitality, Alpana Singh, Sommelier, Restaurateur, Host of Emmy-Award winning PBS-TV Show, Check, Please!, Lauren R. Taylor, Director, Safe Bars and Defend Yourself. Melanie Young, Founder/Host of The Connected Table Live Radio, will moderate the discussion and assembled the panel.
“Harassment manifests in many ways, impacting both the physical and mental well-being of an individual. Many women feel intimidated into silence out of fear their jobs and careers will be negatively impacted. This should not be the case. Inspired to help drive the conversation forward and empower women to speak out, Breaking The Silence panelists will address how workers can be better prepared to confidently confront harassment and how employers can foster a supportive and safe workplace,” said Young.
About Les Dames d’Escoffier New York (LDNY) is an unparalleled collective of forward-thinking and successful female leaders in all sectors of the food, beverage and hospitality industries. Located in the most dynamic and competitive city in the world, Les Dames d’Escoffier New York (LDNY) is the founding and largest chapter of Les Dames d’Escoffier International (LDEI), an experienced 501c3 non-profit organization. Our mission is to advance and support aspiring professional women in food and beverage, as well as to champion critical industry issues. LDNY’s vision is guided by three objectives: Education, Advocacy and Philanthropy. For more information, visit their website and follow on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
