Judge Orders Restaurant to Reinstate Waitress

A Superior Court judge Friday ordered a downtown Los Angeles restaurant to reinstate a waitress who successfully sued the eatery for age discrimination.

Otto Rothschild’s restaurant at the Music Center was ordered to rehire Lisa Marie Belanger, 51, who was awarded $596,500 in compensatory and punitive damages by a jury in December. Judge Charles E. Jones also refused to grant a retrial request by attorneys for the restaurant and its parent company, Restaurant Enterprises Group.

Charles T. Mathews, Belanger’s attorney, said the decision should send a message to the restaurant industry that older workers are entitled to equal treatment. But Restaurant Enterprises lawyer Charles Peterson said the company will appeal because Belanger did not seek reinstatement in her initial lawsuit.