The landmark Langer's Delicatessen and its owner, Norm Langer, are asking a judge to prevent a former server who contends that she was sexually harassed by Langer from distributing or using during discovery two conversations she had with him and a member of human resources, both of which were allegedly secretly recorded.
Paola Morales also contends in her Los Angeles Superior Court complaint that she was badgered by a co-worker due to her mental health issues. On Friday, Langer's attorneys filed court papers with Judge Peter Hernandez seeking a protective order regarding the pair of transcribings.
"Because the illegal audio recordings were made without consent and involved a private exchange, their distribution or use in litigation would not only violate privacy rights but also contravene California's strong public policy against the use of illegally obtained evidence," according to Langers' attorneys' court papers. "Put simply, plaintiff's clearly illegal activity should not be rewarded by allowing her to circumvent the law by using the audio recordings as a discovery tool, especially where it is indisputable that she cannot use them as evidence at trial."
One recording allegedly deals with a private meeting between Morales and Langer regarding her accusations while the other is of a private meeting between the plaintiff and a human resources department.
"The fact that these (alleged) illegal audio recordings were obtained by eavesdropping, and procured and produced without the consent of the parties to the recordings, is a clear violation of defendants' privacy rights," according to the Langer lawyers' court papers.
In a sworn declaration, Langer says he did not consent to Morales' recording of their conversation.
"At no time during any meeting that I attended with plaintiff during, before or after her employment at Langer's Delicatessen, Inc. did Plaintiff inform me that she was recording our conservations, nor did I see her utilizing a recording device to record our conversation," Langer says.
Langer, 81, made news in 2024 when he said he was tired of the crime in the restaurant's neighborhood, which includes MacArthur Park, and that he might close if conditions were not improved. Langer told the Los Angeles Times in April that he "backs the city of Los Angeles' recent work toward combating crime in MacArthur Park" and that although closing Langer's Deli is still a possibility, he's "decided to stick around for a little while."
Morales' complaint alleges multiple causes of action, including sexual harassment and discrimination, assault, battery, retaliation and infliction of emotional distress.
A Langer's representative previously issued a statement regarding the lawsuit.
"For more than 75 years, Langer's Deli has been a cornerstone of the Los Angeles community, built on a legacy of integrity, respect, and service. We remain firmly committed to providing a safe, inclusive and professional workplace for every employee," the statement read. "While we do not litigate in the media, we take this matter seriously and will respond through the appropriate legal channels."
In her lawsuit, Morales says she was hired as a server in October 2022 and that Langer made inappropriate remarks to her throughout her employment at the deli, some with sexual innuendo. After one such statement, Morales, who had previously told Langer his sexual jokes made her very uncomfortable, asked him to stop, the suit states.
However, Langer repeated the joke and walked away, the suit states.
Langer often pulled on Morales' hair and said words to the effect that men would like to pull her hair while being intimate with her, according to the suit, which further states that Langer asked her if she wanted a "sugar daddy."
"Paola was confused, hurt and anxious as a result of Mr. Langer's sexual harassment and related conduct," the suit states.
After Morales complained about Langer's alleged behavior, he retaliated by criticizing her and saying she was "being emotional" and also said things that embarrassed her in front of customers, the suit states.
Morales also alleges that restaurant management allowed a co-worker to harass her because of a disability she has related to depression and post-traumatic stress disorder after she was physically attacked by a brother-in-law two years earlier. The other employee, also a server, triggered trauma in her when he tripped over her last September and later called her "bipolar," the suit states.
When Morales complained to management about the co-worker's alleged conduct, she was told she "needed to be the bigger person" and "grow thicker skin," the suit states. Morales resigned the same month out of frustration with her work environment and her final pay check was $200 short, the suit states.
Morales did not get another job until a month and a half later and her time at Langer's has left her with "devastating and lasting stress, depression, financial strain, worsened anxiety and distrust in people," the suit filed June 4 states.