Lawsuits

Employee Sues Midtown Starbucks, Claiming Co-workers Fondled and Propositioned Her

Latte trouble.
Latte trouble. Photo: Starbucks

A 27-year-old Queens woman named Holly Wu says she was unceremoniously fired from her job at a Lexington Avenue Starbucks in Midtown for making a big to-do over workplace harassment. She’s now filed a lawsuit contending she was wrongfully dismissed, and that while on the job, male co-workers called her “Big Booty Holly,” propositioned her for sex repeatedly, fondled, and “massaged” her. To make all of those thing much worse, Wu says her co-workers tried to get her to watch porn, all apparently right there in the midst of the espresso machines.

Through her lawyer, Wu says she tried to get help by emailing her district manager with an account of the harassment. Instead of an investigation, her employment was terminated just three weeks later, ostensibly for asking another worker to work an extra 45 minutes. Wu’s lawyer argues New York-area Starbucks have a track record of mishandling complaints like this one, going back to 2008. She’s seeking unspecified damages.

Woman Says She Was Fired from Midtown Starbucks After Complaining About Harassment, Files Lawsuit [NYDN]

Employee Sues Midtown Starbucks, Claiming Co-workers Fondled and Propositioned