Our attorneys at Nisar Law Group, P.C. have filed a lawsuit on behalf of our client, who was subjected to race-based discrimination and a hostile work environment by his billionaire employers.
In January of 2019, our client was hired by the husband and wife to purchase groceries and prepare meals for them. The couple agreed to pay him an annual salary of $100,000 for his services.
Client Subjected to Racist Comments and Jokes
Our client stated that during his employment with the couple, they would make racist comments and jokes in his presence. For instance, in March of 2019, his male employer brought up a previous employee who was Asian. He asked another person to imitate the way the former employee used to speak. The imitator tried to sound like they were talking with an Asian accent, and even acted like they were speaking “Chinese.” Our client, who is Asian, was offended by his employer’s and the other person’s actions, but his employer did not stop the behavior and complimented the imitator on the portrayal.
On a separate occasion, our client stated that his female employer brought up a joke about Asians eating dogs, and showed him an offense meme about the racist claim.
In July of 2019, our client’s employers asked him if he knew of any chefs that could work at a dinner party they were hosting that month. Our client recommended his girlfriend, who is black. His employers hired her for the event.
Our client stated that the morning after the dinner party, his female employer said, “Your girlfriend speaks very well. She seems educated. I would describe her as a chocolate-covered marshmallow.” She also asked him if he used the N-word when speaking with his girlfriend.
Although our client’s employer noticed he was offended by the comments about his girlfriend, rather than apologize, she tried to justify her racist behavior by pointing out that she grew up in Spanish Harlem, and she can say things like that.
When our client asked why his employer said things about the way his girlfriend speaks, she said that she was commenting on how well-educated his girlfriend seemed, because other black people she knows don’t speak that way. Our client took this to mean that talking eloquently was not the way black people typically speak.
Client Resigned from Position
Offended by the racist comments and jokes his employers subjected him to, our client quit. His female employer did not accept his resignation, rather she asked him not to leave and to talk to her black friends because they could tell him she’s not a racist.
Employers Refuse to Pay Salary Owed
At the time of his resignation, our client’s employers still owed him $4,230.76 in unpaid salary and $145.53 in out-of-pocket expenses. He confirmed with his employer’s assistant controller that they owed him money, and she directed him to his male employer. He was told that the only way he would get paid would be if “he and his girlfriend signed general releases of claims, which included confidentiality provisions.”
Our client’s employers continue to refuse to pay him the money owed.
For Legal Representation, Contact Nisar Law Group, P.C.
Facing discriminatory practices in your place of employment is unacceptable. If you were subjected to this kind of treatment, our attorneys will fight to protect your rights. When you retain our services, we will seek just compensation for damages incurred.
If you’re facing employment-related legal issues in New York, our team is here to provide effective counsel for your case. Get started today by calling us at (646) 760-6493 or contacting us online.