Food Hall Owner to Pay $54,000 in EEOC Racial Harassment Lawsuit

Epiq Food Hall Woodbridge LLC will pay $54,000 to resolve a racial harassment lawsuit brought by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission on behalf of a Black general manager. According to the EEOC, the company’s owner repeatedly subjected the employee to racist slurs and degrading comments, calling Black customers and employees “ignorant,” “ghetto,” and “riff-raff,” telling the manager he “looked like he spoke thug language,” and using the N-word. After six months of enduring the harassment with no meaningful way to report it, the employee resigned in January 2023. The EEOC alleged the conduct created a hostile work environment in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Under a three-year consent decree, the company agreed to pay damages and, if it resumes operations, implement anti-harassment policies and training. Claims against a successor entity, 4 Brothers Properties LLC, remain pending.