Beverly Hills Hotel Faces Lawsuit From Female Banquet Manger

BEVERLY HILLS—The Beverly Hills Hotel us facing a lawsuit that was filed on November 5 in Los Angeles Superior Court by Elizabeth Jane Birr, who was the hotel’s first female banquet manager. In her lawsuit, Birr claims that the management of the Beverly Hills Hotel did not take proper action after she claimed that a male supervisor, the director of banquets, not only created a hostile work environment for her, but also created a toxic work environment in which she endured both sexual harassment and gender discrimination. The Beverly Hills Hotel hired Birr in May 2022. In December 2022, she was promoted to banquet manager and oversaw high-profile events. The harassment included her abilities as a female manager being mocked, having her authority undermined, and being berated by the banquet director. In addition, she claims that she was forced to endure listening to the director of banquets make homophobic and racist remarks, as well as making crude jokes. She claims that the pay her male coworkers received increased three times, while she received no raise, and that she was mocked when she complained to the director about her pay wage. In May 2024, she submitted a complaint to the hotel’s management about the harassment, including unequal pay and an investigation was initiated. Birr found that management excluded her from overseeing major events and assigned her demeaning tasks. A month later, she was forced to go on medical leave because of high blood pressure and panic attacks. In her lawsuit, she claims that while she was on leave, hotel management continued to mistreat her. Birr is seeking both punitive and compensatory damages from the Beverly Hills Hotel.   By Daniel Diquinzio