Case Study

Employment LawStavros Restaurant is opening a new location in Robyn’s home town. Everyone wants to work there. Robyn is hoping to translate her experience as a sous chef into a new opportunity at the trendy new restaurant. But the owner and her son have a different idea. “No women in the kitchen”; and a “good looking young thing” like Robyn is much better suited to wearing a skimpy outfit and working as a hostess are two of the restaurant’s unwritten policies. The job market is tough, and Robyn takes the job, vowing to prove herself as a chef.

Things go from bad to worse as Robyn is constantly harassed. Her friend, who happens to be African American, is denied employment (“no blacks are working here!” says the manager). A pregnant woman fears for her job and an older worker is fired for no reason.

Robyn finally gets transferred to the kitchen where she discovers a multitude of workplace safety violations. She blows the whistle and is summarily fired.