Latest news with #ConsumerProtectionProceduresAct
Yahoo
12-03-2025
- Yahoo
DC strip club sued for ‘routine' sexual harassment, wage theft, OAG says
WASHINGTON () — The owners of Cloakroom, a strip club in downtown D.C., are in hot water after D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb announced a lawsuit against them Tuesday, alleging they have created a hostile and exploitative work environment for female employees. Cloakroom, located in the heart of Mount Vernon Triangle in Northwest, is owned by Antonios Cavasilios and Carlos Horcasitas and employs dozens of people – most of whom are women. In Tuesday's announcement, the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) said that for years, Cavasilios and Horcasitas have maintained a workplace where female employees are 'routinely' subjected to sexual harassment, inappropriate touching, insults and physical assault. Elderly woman conned out of over $130,000, Prince William County police say The OAG says that Cloakroom managers and employees, including Cavasilios, regularly sexually harass female employees by calling them demeaning, sexist names and touching them inappropriately. 'Owners and managers wield their hiring, firing, and scheduling power to maintain a coercive, exploitative workplace, preying on younger and less experienced workers in particular,' said the OAG, in part. 'On at least one occasion, Cavasilios himself sexually assaulted a club employee. None of the club's male employees experience this type of mistreatment and abuse.' In addition, the complaint alleges that club management has stolen 'hundreds of thousands of dollars' in tips and wages from employees, failed to pay for overtime and all hours worked, failed to provide paid sick leave and retaliated against workers who spoke out. In total, the OAG says the Cloakroom violated several D.C. laws, including the District of Columbia Human Rights Act, Minimum Wage Revision Act, Wage Payment and Collection Law, Consumer Protection Procedures Act, Sick and Safe Leave Act and Wage Transparency Act. 2025.03.11 DC v Cloakroom Complaint – FINALDownload Schwalb said one way the club's owners have stolen wages is through 'Cloakbucks,' a Cloakroom-branded fake currency that management encouraged customers to use to tip. When the bucks were converted to real cash, the owners allegedly pocketed 10% of the earnings. When the OAG began investigating the club, the bucks were discontinued. Cherry blossom bloom watch: Cherry trees along Tidal Basin reach stage one of six The document also alleges that Cloakroom and its owners steal wages by forcing entertainers to pay club managers 10-20% of their earned commission when they perform in private rooms, even though they are promised a fixed percentage commission, typically 40% of the amount charged to the customer. In a statement sent to DC News Now, a Cloakroom representative said, 'We are reviewing the allegations of the District's lawsuit. We look forward to proving in court that we run an upstanding District business providing top-notch service to our customers and treat our employees with professionalism and dignity.' Schwalb added that the lawsuit aims to bring the business into compliance with the District's civil rights, employment and consumer protection laws and seek damages for employees who were abused and denied tips, wages and paid sick leave. 'Cloakroom and its owners flagrantly disregard the most basic workplace protections and decencies, routinely subjecting female employees to degradation and abuse while deploying a variety of schemes to steal their pay. As the District's independent Attorney General, we will put an end to this type of exploitative combination of sexual harassment and wage theft,' said Schwalb. 'My office will always fight for the dignity, safety, and livelihood of District workers.' The OAG asks former or current Cloakroom employees who have experienced or witnessed illegal conduct to call (202) 724-7730 or email workers@ or . Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
04-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Bottled water giant slapped with lawsuit over 'false and deceptive' ads: 'Consumers deserve the truth'
Fiji Water was sued in the District of Columbia for its marketing tactics. On Jan. 31, the Plastic Pollution Coalition alleged that the industry giant violated the district's Consumer Protection Procedures Act with "false and deceptive marketing," according to a news release. "The Wonderful Company, LLC and Fiji Water, LLC promote Fiji Water as 'natural artesian water,' 'protected from external elements,' and 'untouched,' despite test results revealing that these products contain health-harming microplastics and plastic chemical bisphenol-A, and the companies' roles in creating plastic pollution," the nonprofit stated. The lawsuit also argued that Fiji's claim to support a circular economy is false, as the business inherently creates plastic pollution. It asked for a ruling that declares the advertisements unlawful and an injunction to halt the practice. "Marketing bottled water in ways that portray it as healthy, safe, and sustainable is misleading to consumers," Plastic Pollution Coalition co-founder and managing director Julia Cohen said. "… There is nothing natural about plastic." Earth Island Institute general counsel Scott Hochberg added: "Truth in advertising matters. Microplastics and BPA are neither natural nor healthy, and consumers deserve the truth about the products they consume. We will continue to hold companies like The Wonderful Company and Fiji Water accountable for claims that contradict the true impacts of their products on our health and the environment." The Plastic Pollution Coalition said plastic pollution is creating human health problems, contaminating drinking water and the environment, and perpetuating injustice in low-income communities, rural communities, and communities of color as well as the Global South. The organization, an Earth Island Institute project, pointed out that microplastics have been linked to fertility problems, heart attacks, strokes, neurodegenerative disorders, death, and more. "BPA and other bisphenols, which are added to plastics to increase their rigidity, are known to disrupt the human endocrine (hormone) systems and have been identified as among the most concerning of the more than 16,000 chemicals that are added to plastics," it stated. Do you think America has a plastic waste problem? Definitely Only in some areas Not really I'm not sure Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. The lawsuit is one way to address the problem of plastic pollution in addition to the false promise of plastic recycling, which the group said was another tactic used by Fiji. The company touts reducing plastic waste, using recycled material, and 100% recycled plastic packaging; the release stated that "plastic is not designed to be recycled" and is usually never recycled but instead sent to landfills, burned, or shipped overseas, meaning more plastic has to be produced and driving the cycle of pollution and environmental injustice. Fiji is also owned by the Resnick family, which has been in the headlines often for owning 57% of the rights to the Kern Water Bank, a water reserve near Los Angeles that contains nearly 500 billion gallons of water. There have been talks about a global plastic pollution treaty, though stakeholders can't agree on how to move forward. Other methods to combat the problem include litter booms and scientific developments that break down plastics. Individuals can help by using less plastic: switch to a reusable water bottle, turn to reusable grocery bags, and invest in a set of glass food containers. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
