Anthony Garcia has filed a lawsuit against his former employer, alleging sex-based discrimination, harassment, and retaliation. The complaint was lodged on October 7, 2024, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois against 3545 Ridge HB Co., operating as Honeyberry Pancakes and Cafe.
The case revolves around allegations that Anthony Garcia faced discriminatory treatment due to his sexual orientation while employed as a server at Honeyberry Pancakes and Cafe from February to August 2024. According to the complaint, Garcia claims he was subjected to different employment terms compared to his heterosexual colleagues. He recounts an incident where he was denied a meal discount for his male partner by manager Julia Sanchez, despite another male employee receiving similar benefits for his girlfriend without issue. This discrepancy led Garcia to report the matter to Director of Operations Dani Landau, who allegedly failed to address the inconsistency adequately.
Garcia further alleges that he endured inappropriate comments from Sanchez regarding his sexuality, including inquiries about his sexual orientation and derogatory remarks made in Spanish. Despite assurances from Landau that these issues would be addressed, the behavior persisted until shortly before Garcia's termination on August 18, 2024. On that day, after a confrontation with a co-worker named Esmeralda—who accused him of being the instigator—Garcia was dismissed by owner Mateo following a conversation with Sanchez.
The lawsuit accuses Honeyberry Pancakes and Cafe of violating Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by discriminating against Garcia based on sex and sexual orientation. It also charges them with failing to prevent or address sex-based harassment and retaliating against Garcia for opposing such conduct. The plaintiff seeks various forms of relief from the court, including back pay with interest, compensatory and punitive damages, front pay, attorney fees and costs, pre-judgment interest if applicable, and any other relief deemed just by the court.
Representing Anthony Garcia is attorney Travis P. Lampert from Sulaiman Law Group Ltd., while no defense attorneys are listed in this document. The case is identified as Case No. 1:24-cv-09657.