A Black woman has sued a restaurant in the suburbs of Detroit she used to work at alleging that co-workers put sharp metal in her salad after she complained that they repeatedly used the n-word in her presence.
via NYDN:
Zenarra James filed the lawsuit Thursday against the Red Robin in Madison Heights, north of Detroit, and the Ansara Restaurant Group on the basis of racial discrimination, creating a hostile work environment, intentional infliction of emotional distress and direct negligence.
According to the suit, James, 26, heard several white staffers use racist slurs in employees-only areas in February. She complained to her white managers that the language was inappropriate and made her “feel uncomfortable.”
After a co-worker told confronted her about snitching, she complained to managers a second time, but was told to forget it.
“Again, plaintiff James went to the management staff to complain about this behavior, but they told her that he had ‘anger problems’ and she should just ‘leave him alone,’” according to the lawsuit.
In April, after another incident with racist slurs, James spoke with a manager again who said they would handle it. The next day, at the end of her shift, James ordered a to-go salad. When she started eating it at home, she bit into a sharp metal object that resembled a razor blade.
According to the lawsuit, the salad had been prepared by friends of the man who accused her of snitching. James said she then messaged the general manager of the restaurant to tell them she was quitting.
She is seeking $25,000 in damages and lost pay.
We hope she wins every dollar — and then some.
