Lawsuit: Chipotle Worker Fired After Complaining That Coworkers Got Preferential Treatment

Image courtesy of Josh Bassett

A new lawsuit filed in California claims that a former Chipotle worker was fired after she complained to her bosses that her coworkers were receiving preferential treatment, giving them coveted daytime shifts while she was stuck working at nighttime.

The former employee filed the lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court this week, accusing Chipotle of racial discrimination, retaliation, wrongful termination, workplace harassment, and failure to prevent harassment, CBS Los Angeles reports.

According to the plaintiff, she started working at the eatery in June 2012 and was promoted several times. But things changed when she came back from maternity leave last December, she claims: a Latina coworker was promoted to manager and she doled out day shifts to other Latino employees while assigning night duty to the plaintiff and other African-American workers, the complaint alleges.

When she complained to a Latino manager, she says he brushed her off and said “black girls always have an attitude,” the suit stated.

She brought her complaints to the district manager in January, who she says denied there was a problem, but promised she would set employees’ schedules from then on. But later that month, the district manager fired the plaintiff without explaining why, the lawsuit alleges.

When she brought her complaints to Chipotle’s human resources department, she says she didn’t get a response.

Chipotle spokesman Chris Arnold said the company has only just received the lawsuit, and will “evaluate its merits and determine a course of action.”

“Generally speaking, however, a lawsuit is nothing more than a series of allegations and does not constitute proof of any wrongdoing on our part.”

Former Worker At El Segundo Chipotle Sues Chain For Racial Discrimination [CBS Los Angeles]

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