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A Popeyes restaurant in Irvington, N.J., is facing a lawsuit filed by a former employee who claims he experienced racial discrimination and was forced to work in the kitchen due to his race.
Wesley Hammonds, the plaintiff, alleges that the general manager of the fast-food establishment did not want Black workers to be visible to customers, leading to his confinement in the kitchen instead of interacting with patrons. The lawsuit was filed against Belleville Chicken LLC and the store’s general manager, shedding light on a troubling workplace atmosphere.
According to New Jersey.com, during his time of employment at the Popeyes restaurant, Hammonds states that he endured constant harassment due to his race. He alleges that he was compelled to work as a cook rather than fulfilling his original role of engaging with customers. The lawsuit contends that Hammonds was the only Black employee for most of his two-year tenure, and he was relegated to the back of the kitchen to prevent a Black manager from being visible in the front of the house.
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Furthermore, Hammonds accused the general manager of paying him a lower hourly rate instead of the manager’s salary he was initially promised. Additionally, he claims that the general manager frequently made racist comments and sent him offensive text messages, causing him to feel humiliated, belittled, and abused.
The lawsuit, filed in April 11, recounts an incident last May when Hammonds had to rush his daughter to the hospital due to a medical emergency. When he informed the general manager that he needed the day off to care for his child, she texted him, threatening his employment: “If u don’t show up, u out.”
As Hammonds scrambled to arrange childcare to return to work, a supervisor allegedly fired him via text, stating, “Don’t bother showing up for me, you’re already out from my store.”
The lawsuit alleges that both the restaurant and the general manager violated the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination and fostered a hostile work environment.