More bad news for openly gay New York City hoteliers Ian Reisner and Mati Weiderpass as the Advocate reports they are being sued by former employees of their NYC hotel - The Out NYC.
The suit, alleging discrimination and withheld pay, is on behalf of specific plaintiffs and “all others similarly-situated.”
The allegations by James Stress, Paul Shreve, Donald Shorter, and Jonathan Taylor are twofold. All four employees named in the suit claim KTCHN and XL failed to pay for overtime work and withheld part of their tips, resulting in violations of the federal Fair Labor Standards Act as well as New York City and state law. Shorter and Stress also allege discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity — by establishments that are owned by and cater to LGBT people.
Reisner and Weiderpass have been under a media blitz and boycott by many in the LGBT community due to hosting a "fireside chat" with virulently anti-gay Sen. Ted Cruz, currently running for the GOP nod for president in 2016.
Most recently, it came to light that although both men told the press on more than one occasion that the "chat" was NOT a fundraiser and "no checks were given," it seems Reisner actually did write a "max-check" of $2,700 to the Cruz campaign around the time of the event. He later went back to the campaign asking that his check be refunded.
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