A former employee of a Popeyes restaurant in Chicago has filed a lawsuit against the franchisee, Vincennes Chicken LLC, alleging racial and sexual discrimination.
Plaintiff Jamal Harrington, who is Black, claims he was wrongly terminated from his job at the restaurant because of his race and gender.
According to the complaint, Harrington had worked at the restaurant in the 9500 block of South Vincennes Avenue since May 2021.
The suit alleges that management took no action to address sexual harassment at the hands of a coworker that Harrington had reported in August 2023.
Furthermore, Harrington claims he was racially discriminated against when he overheard the district manager mockingly refer to African Americans as “his people” in reference to Harrington.
According to the complaint, management later sharply reduced his work hours, before terminating him in September 2023, allegedly along with five other Black employees. The complaint asserts no similar actions were taken against the restaurant's Pakistani employees.
The lawsuit is asking the court to order the employer to pay back pay, front pay and other damages, including punitive damages.
The lawsuit was filed Jan. 29 in Chicago federal court.
Harrington is represented by attorney Travis P. Lampert, of Sulaiman Law Group, of Lombard.