HOUSTON – A state district lawsuit alleges that an assistant restaurant manager at an upscale eatery in The Galleria area was sexually harassed by one of the owners.
Trinh Nguyen filed the lawsuit against her employer, New 1960 Enterprises Co., on Dec. 11 in the Harris County 129th District Court, claiming that proprietor Jiang “Jack” Shaoping used this position to make unwanted romantic and sexual advances towards her.
Court documents explain that Nguyen and Shaoping initially maintained a working relationship in which the two went over the operations of the defendant’s restaurants despite a language barrier between them. Nguyen did not know Chinese while Shaoping spoke in broken English.
According to the suit, Shaoping worked on improving his English and sent Nguyen text messages declaring his love for her, to which the plaintiff says made her job “increasingly difficult.”
There was reportedly one instance in which Shaoping, who has a spouse back in China, propositioned Nguyen for sex. Her further refusal of Shaoping’s gestures and advances resulted in him engaging in retaliatory acts, including, but not limited to: ceasing business-related communication with her, stripping her of major responsibilities, and reprimanding her for something as routine as offering discounts to repeat customers, the suit says.
Consequently, the complainant seeks unspecified monetary damages and a jury trial.
She is represented by Peter Costea of Houston.
Harris County 129th District Court Case No. 2018-88021