Marie Eiffel sued by workers: Claims of harassment, assault

Marie Eiffel, owner of Marie Eiffel Market and Restaurant on Bridge Street, and a nearby boutique in Shelter Island Heights, is the subject of a federal human trafficking lawsuit brought by eight former employees.

The suit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, alleging sexual assault, discrimination and wage theft.

According to the court filing, obtained by the Reporter, Ms. Eiffel is joined in the suit against her by InterExchange, Inc., a nonprofit with an address on Wall Street in Manhattan that sponsors foreign nationals to work in the United States.

The eight plaintiffs were all hired under the government’s J1 program for foreigners intended to open opportunities for cultural and educational exchanges, while providing temporary staffing for United States businesses. Many area businesses have used the program to staff their operations during the summer months, and beyond.

According to the filing in federal court, Ms. Eiffel presided over “egregious working conditions” and “routinely spanked Plaintiffs on the buttocks, groped female employees’ breasts, choked employees, and made sexually harassing, demeaning, and discriminatory comments about their race and looks. In addition, Defendants engaged in wage theft by illegally failing to pay portions of Plaintiffs’ hard-earned wages and withholding Plaintiffs’ tips in violation of the N.Y. Labor Law.”

Those who brought the suit had worked for Ms. Eiffel in either 2021 or 2022 and were from Malaysia, Thailand, Columbia or Ecuador, according to the lawsuit

Denying all of the allegations, Ms. Eiffel told the Reporter Tuesday evening that she had not been served with the suit, but after learning of the legal action against her, hired an attorney.

She believes the suit could be influenced by her interaction with a disgruntled employee, a troubled young man, she said, who she had tried to counsel, but discovered he had stolen objects from her house. This led her to confront him, which angered him and he accused her of using information he had told her in confidence to hurt him.

The issue about money came up, she said, when aside from wages she said averaged $5,000 a month, those she hired were given a “bonus” of tips. But when the young man refused to finish his contract with her, she withheld his tips and split them among the remaining employees that summer. Tips weren’t in the contract, Ms. Eiffel said, but she wanted to give her workers the opportunity to be rewarded by customers for their efforts.

Later Tuesday night she sent copies of emails from three of this summer’s workers, all expressing gratefulness to her for the experiences they had and praising her. Nuri Kurmanbek wrote thanking Ms. Eiffel for “such a big opportunity to grow not only as an employee but also as a person. There are million reasons to say thank you to you.”

Gomez Hernandez Carlos Alberto thanked her for the opportunity  to learn “how to take care of myself or how to be independent or improve my English level … I am very grateful to have you as my boss and friend.” He acknowledged there were times when Ms. Eiffel yelled at workers, but said it made clear to him what was expected in his work and he appreciated the clarity. Aigerim Temirbekova said, “I really grew up, became responsible, in any difficult situation in the kitchen I learned to pull myself together and finish my work to the end without being nervous, with calmness. I am glad that we became friends … Thank you for everything, for life lessons, for unforgettable emotions and the opportunity to work in the kitchen. I am so grateful for your support and teaching.”

In the suit, the plaintiffs maintain that Ms. Eiffel’s actions “included constantly spanking employees on the buttocks while they were alone, in front of other employees, and even in front of customers, groping female employees’ bodies, including their breasts, and kissing employees.” The plaintiffs say she “also wrapped her hands around the neck of and choked multiple employees.” She “acted as though she believed that such egregious behavior was funny.”

The plaintiffs have asked for a jury trial.