Lawsuit: Wellman's Pub retaliated against teens who reported sexual harassment

Wellman's Pub and Rooftop in West Des Moines is being sued by two former teenage employees who say the bar's management did nothing when they repeatedly reported ongoing sexual harassment.

Mary Feuerhelm filed the lawsuit in Polk County District Court on behalf of her daughters, Kennedy and Sydney, who were 16 years old when they were hired at the bar as food runners in the fall 2016.

The lawsuit, filed Wednesday, says the managers and owners of Wellman's Pub and Rooftop retaliated against the girls after they reported ongoing sexual harassment by two cooks by making their working conditions intolerable, threatening them, reducing their hours and firing them.

They also claim management did little to stop the harassment.

Owner Tom Baldwin declined to comment on the lawsuit when reached by the Register on Tuesday. Also named in the lawsuit are general manager Zachary Baldwin and manager Stephanie Smith.

According to the lawsuit, both girls reported two cooks grabbed their breasts and buttocks, rubbed their pelvises against their backs and made other unwanted sexual advances, including sending more than 300 unrequited Facebook messages.

In one instance, a cook grabbed Kennedy, pinned her against a wall and kissed her neck, the lawsuit claims.

Mary Feuerhelm says in the lawsuit that she approached management about her daughters' complaints, but was told the behavior can be blamed on the cooks' culture.

The teenagers were scheduled for fewer shifts and management decreased the percentage of tips they normally received after they made the complaints, the lawsuit says.

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The Feuerhelms' attorney requested the girls be moved to another restaurant owned by Tom Baldwin. They were moved to Magnolia Wine Kitchen but found there was little work for them there and were rarely scheduled.

Kennedy and Sydney no longer work for the company.

They are seeking a jury trial for damages related to lost wages and benefits, emotional distress, medical expenses, fear, anguish, humiliation, intimidation, embarrassment and lost enjoyment of life for violation of the Iowa Civil Rights Act of sexual harassment, sex discrimination and retaliation.

Their attorney, Paige Fiedler, declined to comment.