Family-run Peruvian restaurant Lima in Concord, California served its final New Year's Eve meals after being financially crushed by the weight of a recent lawsuit.
Lima found herself in the national spotlight for hosting a weekly women's promotion. This promotion was a popular and highly profitable practice of offering discounted drinks to attract women to the establishment. However, Chef/Owner John Marquez He told the New York Post A gender discrimination lawsuit filed last year cost his restaurant tens of thousands of dollars as a result.
“We have not fully recovered from our recent discrimination lawsuit related to our ladies night discount,” Marquez told KRON-TV recently. He suggested as well Media The people behind the lawsuit may not be local residents, but rather “ambulance-chasing lawyers” looking to take advantage of California laws.
John Marquez, owner of Lima Restaurant, criticized the lawsuit, which he said brought down his restaurant. (ABC 7 News)
He sued a major newspaper publisher for alleged discrimination in meeting diversity goals
He said the same ABC7 News, “It's a frivolous lawsuit that brought us down.”
but California law In the books it actually appears that companies are supposed to provide “full and equal facilities” regardless of who the customers are.
unruh Civil Rights Act, Decades-old California law states that “all persons subject to the jurisdiction of this state are free and equal, without regard to sex, race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, disability, medical condition, genetic information, or marital status.” status, sexual orientation, citizenship, primary language or immigration status entitled to full and equal accommodations, benefits, facilities, privileges or services in all business establishments of every kind whatsoever.”
CNN coverage This latest incident was cited by Rebecca Nieman, a professor of business law and ethics at the University of San Diego, who warned that “a lot of these small, mom-and-pop type bars frankly may not know anything about this law,” and that this is exactly why they still… Such lawsuits happen to “very small business owners?”
A sign announced the upcoming closure of the Lima restaurant.
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But more businesses other than restaurants are facing the consequences of this California law.
The Fresno Grizzlies, a minor league baseball team, have faced a similar lawsuit, reportedly being sued for $5 million after they allowed free entry for women at a “Ladies' Night” show last year.
The plaintiffs in this case were represented by Alfred Raffa, a San Diego-based attorney who also sued the Oakland Athletics in a class action lawsuit over a Mother's Day gift of a free reversible plaid bucket hat.
