Ex-employee of Red Robin alleges workplace racism
A former employee has filed a federal lawsuit, with the Idaho Human Rights Commission’s blessing, against Red Robin restaurants claiming wrongful termination after she complained about alleged racist comments made by her boss.
In her lawsuit, Stacie Ward alleges a boss responded to her attempts to hire a black man at the Coeur d’Alene burger restaurant with a statement using a racial epithet. The man was not hired.
Ward also alleges in her lawsuit that the restaurant fired a black man, the only person of color ever employed in the bar there, for wearing his headphones at work. That conduct typically would merit only a warning, the lawsuit said.
According to the lawsuit, the assistant general manager allegedly said “something along the lines of we don’t hire” blacks at the restaurant, although the manager used a racial epithet to refer to the job candidate. That assistant manager, who now is the general manager, also implied skin color was the basis of the other employee’s firing, according to court documents.
Ward was fired several weeks after confronting her manager about unfair hiring practices and discrimination, and said that the Red Robin made it difficult for her to find another job in the service industry after her firing.
A corporate spokesman for Red Robin said the company is aware of the lawsuit but declined to comment on pending litigation. He said Red Robin is an equal opportunity employer and prohibits discrimination in its hiring practices.
Ward said she worked for 11 years at 10 different Red Robin restaurants, including a Bellingham location and in Spokane Valley. She was hired as a bar manager to help open the Coeur d’Alene restaurant, located at 1501 W. Riverstone Drive, in 2007, according to court records.
After her firing, Ward contacted the human rights group and sought to settle her claim through the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The agency investigated her claims and determined in February that it would not file charges against the restaurant, but issued a right-to-sue letter saying it would consider supporting her if she chose to sue on her own.
The letter, issued Feb. 26, said the commission “found reasonable cause to believe that violations” related to some or all of Ward’s allegations occurred. But, it said, the commission “could not obtain a settlement with the Respondent that would provide relief for you.” Ward had until May 27 to file a claim in the courts based on her complaint.
An attorney representing the Colorado-based burger chain, which opened its first restaurant in Seattle, did not respond to a message requesting comment.
The Red Robin franchise reported $1.15 billion in sales last year. The lawsuit was filed Tuesday in the U.S. District Court of Idaho.