$3.15 Million Jury Verdict Against Margotto Owner Underscores Employer Accountability for Workplace Abuse

Our firm recently secured a $3.15 million jury verdict on behalf of a 22-year-old sous chef who was physically and emotionally abused while working at one of Honolulu’s most prominent restaurants. The verdict includes $2.1 million in punitive damages against the restaurant’s owner, reflecting the jury’s clear finding that he acted with deliberate indifference to the abuse.

The case involved daily assaults—slapping, punching, kicking—carried out by the executive chef in full view of staff and sometimes guests. Despite being repeatedly informed of this conduct by multiple employees, including the plaintiff, the owner took no steps to intervene, investigate, or stop the abuse. On Christmas Day 2023, the chef attacked the plaintiff again, this time causing serious injury, including a torn rotator cuff and whiplash. The plaintiff has been unable to return to work since.

We presented evidence at trial that the owner had actual knowledge of the abuse, was present for key incidents, and consciously chose not to act. The jury returned a verdict on the sole remaining claim of intentional infliction of emotional distress and imposed significant punitive damages—an acknowledgment that looking the other way is not a defense.

This outcome demonstrates that employers and business owners in Hawai‘i can be held personally accountable when they knowingly permit violence, harassment, or discrimination in the workplace. It also reflects our firm’s commitment to holding those in power responsible and fighting aggressively for workers who have been harmed.

If you or someone you know has experienced abuse, harassment, or retaliation in the workplace, contact DiPasquale & Summers to learn how we can help.