HOUSTON — Red Lobster is facing a suit alleging supervisors discriminated and retaliated against an African American female.
Kemmetria Southern filed a complaint Aug. 24 in Harris County District Court against Red Lobster Management LLC alleging race discrimination, retaliation and other claims.
Southern, an African American female, began working for Red Lobster as a server in June of 2011 and took a leave of absence for the birth of her son in 2012, according to her complaint. She alleges that she returned to work in late 2012 and in 2013 began to work for a new supervisor who was Hispanic. Southern claims that the Hispanic supervisor focused on promoting 20 to 30 Hispanic and white employees and "continously overlooked African-American employees" such as herself.
Southern further claims that in 2018, a "less experienced" Hispanic employee was promoted to assistant manager, a position Southern had been trying to get for five years. In addition, Southern claims she was told since she had children, she would not be considered for the job.
She alleges when she finally was given an assistant manager position, she was offered $5,000 less in pay than the Hispanic employee who had the position before her. Southern also alleges a general manager made "vulgar" and racist comments to black employees and when she filed a complaint, faced retaliation and was terminated.
Southern seeks monetary relief, interest, trial by jury and all other just relief. She is represented by Marjorie Murphy of The Murphy Law Practice PLLC in Houston.
Harris County District Court case number 2021-53113