Gay worker wins $15k for sexual harassment

At least five El Centro employees are considering grievance claims. Photo / Natalie Slade

A former Sydney brothel owner turned Auckland restaurateur is believed to have left the country owing thousands, including a court-ordered $15,000 for sexually harassing an employee.

Angry staff say Graeme George Edwards - who moved to Auckland last year, opening beachfront eaterie El Centro in Mission Bay - told them he was going to Los Angeles on business about six weeks ago.

Aaron Calman - who manages the Mexican-style restaurant - told the Herald Edwards stayed in contact with staff for about two weeks before "dropping off the face of the Earth".

His 5-series BMW, which was purchased on finance, was found abandoned at Auckland International Airport.

The Employment Relations Authority yesterday determined Edwards had sexually harassed his front-of-house manager, at El Centro, in July.

He had sacked the man, aged 25, after discriminating against him because he was gay.

In the three weeks the man worked for Edwards, he often referred to him as a "f***ing faggot" and told others present "not to bend over" around him.

The man, who has permanent name suppression, alleges Edwards told him on July 25 that he "couldn't manage my way out of a brothel and [not to] bother coming back".

The ERA ordered Edwards to pay the victim $7000 in damages and $7600 for lost wages and holiday pay.

"[The manager] was publicly humiliated, derided, belittled and made fun of, for Mr Edwards' amusement. [The manager] is entitled to compensation for personal harm suffered by this unfair, unreasonable and discriminatory treatment by his employer," ERA member Alastair Dumbleton said in his determination.

News of Edwards' departure from New Zealand came as a surprise to his victim, when approached by the Herald last night.

Edwards had not been present at the ERA hearing, and the man was shocked to hear he had disappeared.

The man described his time at El Centro as "horrendous", and he was subsequently on medication to treat "very bad depression".

The Herald has also learned other staff are unhappy with Edwards, and it is understood there is another sexual harassment case pending against him.

Mr Calman said at least two staff did not receive holiday pay when they resigned from El Centro, and about five staff were considering filing personal grievance claims against Edwards.

He had not heard about the incident involving the other manager.

Hire companies have started arriving to collect appliances Edwards had leased, but Mr Calman said he had managed to fend them off while he spoke with lawyers and landlords Retail Holdings about salvaging the business.

Edwards had lived in a rental property with a couple in Mission Bay. Yesterday the house was empty with "for rent" signs outside.

Retail Holdings director Darryl Henry would not say whether the company knew of Edwards' whereabouts, or if he owed them money.