CONTENT WARNING: This article discusses alleged sexual assault.
The Swillhouse hospitality group is facing a significant legal challenge as four former staff members pursue the company for damages over alleged sexual assaults. Now, it has been revealed that Sheryn Omeri, KC, a prominent employment lawyer who has advised victims of Harvey Weinstein and won a landmark case defining Uber drivers as employees in Britain, will represent the claimants.
The scandal first erupted on August 21, 2024, when The Sydney Morning Herald and Good Food published a joint investigation exposing serious allegations against Swillhouse. These included claims of staff being pushed out after reporting sexual assaults, encouragement to have sex with customers, and a workplace culture that systematically discriminated against women.
Initially, Swillhouse responded with public apologies. On August 22, 2024, the company acknowledged past mistakes on their social media channels and committed to improving workplace safety. CEO Anton Forte released a video on Instagram, stating, “We wanted to create a culture of openness, generosity and respect but along the way we messed up. It’s heartbreaking to know that people were unsupported, unheard and let down.”
However, Swillhouse has since deleted these apologies from their social media platforms.
Rachelle Hair, one of the claimants, didn’t mince words: “Swillhouse can delete their apologies and pretend none of this happened, but I’m not afforded that privilege. I am burdened with PTSD and will be for the rest of my life”, per SMH.
Hair, who was the first woman employed as a bartender at several Swillhouse venues, alleges the company failed to support her after she reported being sexually assaulted and pressured to take MDMA by a colleague at Shady Pines.
Another claimant, Brittany Rowe, accused the company of continuing their “dismissive and avoidant behaviour that produced so many victims of violent and sexual crime over the years”.
Rowe alleges she was brutally assaulted by a Hubert co-worker at home in 2021 and was then rostered to work alongside him despite requesting not to.
Marque Lawyers managing partner Michael Bradley, representing the claimants, stated that Swillhouse had not provided a substantive response to any of the allegations.
“We don’t know what their attitude to the allegations is because they’ve refused to engage at all,” he said.
A Swillhouse spokesperson countered this claim, stating, “Swillhouse takes all allegations seriously”, and that the company has responded “in a timely and appropriate manner”.
“Should those lawyers not be satisfied with the responses provided, the appropriate forum is through the courts and not the media.”
The spokesperson also mentioned that Swillhouse is fully cooperating with a SafeWork NSW investigation into its operations.
Lead image: Instagram / Shady Pines / Swillhouse
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