A service worker is suing a restaurant business on allegations of extreme sexual harassment originating in 2013 and retaliatory discharge in 2014.
Charelle Richard filed a lawsuit against Zaxby’s Houston LLC and G&T Restaurant Group LLC in the Houston Division of the Southern District of Texas on July 17, claiming gender discrimination and civil rights violation in her April 2014 discharge.
According to the suit, Richard worked at the company’s 20818 Interstate 45 North location in Spring as a server beginning in November 2013. She claims that she was subjected to unwanted comments, propositions and gestures of an overtly sexual nature by her manager, Aaron Anthony.
The complaint states that Richard’s manager made inappropriate comments and touched her on the neck and breasts. The plaintiff avers that when she complained to the district manager, she was terminated on April 15, 2014. The suit states that the pretext given for firing her was that she had tattoos, although she had them prior to the time of her hiring and training.
Richard avers that her employer’s behavior was humiliating, aggressive and demeaning. Alleging harassment and a severely hostile work environment, she charges the business with targeting her for harassment and then retaliating against her for reporting the treatment.
The plaintiff seeks back and front pay, compensatory and punitive damages, pre- and post-judgment interest, attorney’s fees, expenses, and costs. The plaintiff is represented by Charles Peckham and Mary Martin of Peckham PLLC in Houston.
Houston Division of the Southern District of Texas Case 4:15-cv-02159.