A popular designer’s store is the subject of a new lawsuit in California. A former employee at a Tory Burch store in Los Angeles has filed a lawsuit against the company and one of her co-workers, claiming she was subjected to workplace discrimination. The woman is both black and bisexual and asserts that her race and sexual orientation factored into many of the issues she experienced in the store.
The lawsuit claims customers at the Los Angeles store were told not to talk to the woman because of her sexual orientation. She claims employees made insulting remarks about her girlfriend concerning her visits to the store. The co-worker also purportedly asked her repeatedly if she was eating fried chicken at lunch. Managers at the store were also said to have used derogatory terms about her race.
In addition to the other complaints, she stated a male manager sexually harassed her and potentially others by leaving partially clad photos of himself on computers other workers used. Although she says she complained to management about the issues she was experiencing, she alleges there was no relief because the co-worker involved happened to be one of the manager’s friends. She ultimately quit her job due to the claimed mistreatment. She is demanding an unspecified amount of damages in the workplace discrimination lawsuit.
California workplace discrimination is pernicious, and employees who experience it may have the right to seek action against an employer, particularly if the employer ignores complaints about the objectionable conduct. No one should have to be exposed to the type of treatment this woman reportedly experienced. As this case now moves forward through the California court system, the plaintiff will have the opportunity to prove her allegations. If successful, the court will consider her request for monetary damages to reimburse her for the damages which she suffered.
Source: CBS Los Angeles, “Bisexual Black Woman Sues Designer Tory Burch, Former Co-Worker Over Race, Sex Issues,” Jan. 4, 2013