RiverWinds Restaurant in West Deptford settles one lawsuit, faces another

CAMDEN – A West Deptford restaurant that’s agreed to pay $525,000 to resolve a lawsuit is facing another legal challenge.

The RiverWinds Restaurant is currently seeking a bank loan to finance the recent settlement of a class-action lawsuit brought on behalf of 112 servers and bartenders, court records say.

But two former waitresses have filed a new suit against the restaurant and its operators, alleging they were the victims of sexual harassment and disability discrimination.

Among other claims, the waitress’s complaint alleges a RiverWinds co-owner, Fotios Farmakis, "repeatedly leers at" and "inappropriately touches" female workers.

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It asserts Farmakis also disparages the appearance of female employees, telling one she was “too heavy” to work on the restaurant’s patio.

Farmakis and other restaurant representatives could not be reached for comment.

The class-action lawsuit, filed in October 2016, alleged tipped employees received less than the minimum wage and were denied overtime pay at the eatery on the Delaware River waterfront.

RiverWinds and its operators have denied any wrongdoing, but settled the suit to avoid the cost and risk of extended litigation, according to the agreement.

Under the settlement, a $335,000 payment will be divided among tipped employees who worked at RiveWwinds between Oct. 25, 2013, and April 25, 2018.The workers will get payments ranging from $26.02 to $13,901, with an average payment of about $3,000, the agreement says. The combined payments represent about 46 percent of the workers’ initial estimate of unpaid wages, it adds.

Additional payments of $2,500 each will go to four workers who brought the suit — Patricia Crawford, Jessica Howley, Danielle Lawrence and Colleen Monaghan-Girardo.

RiverWinds also has agreed to pay $180,000 for the employees’ legal expenses.

U.S. District Judge Robert Kugler approved the settlement at a May 17 hearing.

The two waitresses — Danielle Castelli and Gina Williams — brought their discrimination suit just a few weeks later, on June 6, in Superior Court, Camden.

Both the class action and discrimination lawsuits were filed by attorney Matthew Luber of Evesham.

Castelli and Williams contend they were harassed by Farmakis, then faced retaliation after complaining to a manager and a co-owner about his alleged conduct. The women, who each have diabetes, also allege they faced “deliberate and merciless harassment on the basis of (their) disabilities.” 

The suit also includes a claim of battery against Farmakis, claiming he “forcefully slapped his hand” over Castelli’s mouth to silence her during an incident in April 2018.

The waitresses are seeking unspecified financial damages, as well as court orders that would require the defendant to “stop and prevent” harassment and retaliation at the restaurant.

Jim Walsh is a free-range reporter who’s been roaming around South Jersey for decades. His interests include crime, the courts, economic development and being first with breaking news. Reach him at jwalsh@gannettnj.com or look for him in traffic.

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