The Battery, one of San Francisco’s most exclusive private clubs, is facing serious accusations from two employees who allege harassment and labor violations, including claims of degrading comments about a disabled dishwasher’s body and incidents of unwanted physical contact.
Rene Panti, who has worked as a dishwasher at the invite-only club since 2021, says in a lawsuit that coworkers subjected him to discriminatory insults on a weekly basis for three years. He alleges management failed to meaningfully intervene, doing little beyond telling employees to “stay professional.”
According to the complaint, Panti was mocked as a “hunchback” and called “useless” because of his spinal condition. The lawsuit also claims one coworker told him, “your penis doesn’t work anymore.”
Panti has congenital scoliosis, a condition involving curvature of the spine.
He and another employee filed separate lawsuits against The Battery in the past two weeks, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. The complaints seek unspecified damages for emotional distress and lost wages, along with other remedies including mandatory workplace training.
Panti alleges the verbal abuse turned physical last year, saying coworkers touched his back despite his repeated objections. In one alleged incident, he said someone pinched his nipples.
The lawsuit also claims Panti was placed on leave for a month because of his disability, costing him wages. After he again sought a promotion in 2022, he alleges the chef became hostile toward him by assigning excessive work, allowing coworkers’ harassment to continue and denying him breaks.
Panti further alleges that his complaints to human resources did not lead to any discipline.
The lack of promotions seems to be a key complaint for Panti, whose lawsuit claimed was specifically due to his disability. He was allegedly directly told by a manager that he “will never be promoted to work at the bar because your physical appearance does not conform to the standards of the company.”
“We are confident that every allegation in the complaint will be corroborated — by coworkers who worked alongside him, by documents, and by the Battery’s own records,” Steven Chizen, Panti’s attorney, told the Chronicle. “We look forward to proving this case to a San Francisco jury.”
The other employee, Donald James Goglio, sued The Battery for allegedly failing to pay minimum wages and overtime. There were no proper breaks, he alleged, and business expenses were not reimbursed. All this was to “unfairly cheat the competition and unlawfully profit,” his lawsuit claimed.
A LinkedIn profile of the same name says he has been a front desk agent for The Battery since August 2025, the Chronicle reported.
The luxe club firmly denied all the allegations in a statement to the Chronicle and claimed Panti’s lawsuit omitted critical facts.
“The Battery does not agree with the allegations or with the attempt to portray them as companywide violations,” the company said. “The Battery maintains wage-and-hour policies and timekeeping practices intended to comply with California law and will defend those practices in court.”
The business is one of the most well-known in the Bay Area city with its luxurious interior and invite-only memberships costing $2,400 per year.
Founders and tech barons Michael and Xochi Birch turned a marble factory and candy warehouse into the club in 2013.
The Battery boasts multiple dining spaces, a wine cellar, personal trainers, a spa and a hotel. Past clients reportedly have included major celebrities such as singer Justin Bieber and basketball star Kevin Durant.
Another past customer was formerly rising Democrat Eric Swalwell, who resigned from Congress and dropped his gubernatorial bid in California after sexual assault allegations.
