A Gregorys Espresso location in New York. “27.WalkToStaples.NYC.31October2022” by Elvert Barnes is licensed underneath CC BY-SA 2.0.
A former vice chairman of human assets on the New York Metropolis-based specialty espresso chain Gregorys Espresso filed a lawsuit towards the corporate and its founder/CEO, Gregory Zamfotis, alleging office hostility and discrimination.
Attorneys Rafkin Esq. of New Jersey, on behalf of plaintiff Jessica Day, filed a criticism with the New York State Supreme Court docket on March 11, saying Day was “confronted again and again with blatant violations of discrimination and associated legal guidelines.”
The go well with outlines no less than seven situations of alleged discrimination within the office, primarily negatively affecting Black ladies. Conversely, the go well with makes a number of claims that white, male workers had been compensated at unfairly excessive charges and/or had been in a position to bypass the corporate’s HR protocols.
“Equally disturbing was the truth that [Gregory Zamfotis] was not solely conscious of this conduct however condoned and sometimes directed it,” the go well with claims.
The son of a New York quick meals restaurateur, Gregory Zamfotis based the eponymous espresso firm with a single location in Manhattan in 2006, serving because the face of the model, which calls its clients “Gregulars.” The espresso firm just lately expanded into new U.S. markets and opened its fiftieth retailer.
Neither Gregorys Espresso nor a PR agency that has just lately represented the corporate replied to DCN’s request for touch upon the lawsuit, as of this writing.
In line with the go well with, Day joined Gregorys Espresso in June of 2022 as vice chairman of human assets.
The primary incident alleged within the criticism says Zamfotis refused to permit a Black feminine worker to return to work following what the go well with says was a “lawful depart of absence.”
“ZAMFOTIS’ reasoning was that she was a ‘unhealthy’ worker, the go well with states. “When Plaintiff pushed ZAMFOTIS for precise info demonstrating poor efficiency, probably the most he might muster was that he didn’t suppose she smiled sufficient. But, an precise retailer supervisor that this worker labored underneath ranked her as a high worker and described her as ‘superb.’ And certainly, there was not a shred of documentation of any efficiency points.”
One other alleged incident accuses Zamfotis of protecting a male worker from penalties from a number of ladies in regards to the worker’s conduct, which included sexual harassment and discrimination, in accordance with the submitting.
Further accusations embody that “Male workers at GREGORYS had been paid greater than ladies for a similar and even much less work” and that “the one black feminine worker in a company management place at GREGORYS resigned abruptly due what she described because the overt sexism of the office at GREGORYS.”
The go well with claims that by mid December of 2023, Day had “repeatedly confronted” Zamfotis about illegal actions, and went as far as to say, “you’re going to get the sh*t sued out you.”
Citing “substantial misery and anguish by the relentless battle with ZAMFOTIS, his retaliatory conduct and continued authorized violations,” the plaintiff is alleging New York state labor violations on three separate counts.
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