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Wakiya Hit With $5 Million Lawsuit

Wakiya, the latest in a series of big-name plaintiffs.
Wakiya, the latest in a series of big-name plaintiffs. Photo: Noah Sheldon

The parade of big-money harassment suits continues. The Sun reports today that Wakiya, the haute Chinese restaurant in the Gramercy Park Hotel, was sued by a former employee for $5 million. Natividad Alcantara, a “public area attendant,” claims that she was assaulted by a co-worker, and later fired because she spoke Spanish. “According to the suit, Ms. Alcantara said in Spanish to the co-worker, ‘Please stop, I did not want to have any problems with you,’ but was laughed at in return. A supervisor, Steven Lam, allegedly approached Ms. Alcantara a few moments later to tell her not to speak in Spanish, as the co-worker who had assaulted her had complained,” reports the Sun. Alcantara is suing for $5 million because that is “the sum she expected to earn at the hotel in a lifetime, had she not been fired.” What are they paying public-area attendants over there?

$5 Million Suit Filed Against Restaurant in Gramercy Park Hotel [NYS]

Wakiya Hit With $5 Million Lawsuit