Eric Harrison has filed a lawsuit against Susu Hospitality Group of Illinois, operating as Jamba Juice, alleging sexual harassment and discrimination. The complaint was submitted on January 31, 2025, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. Harrison accuses his former employer of creating a hostile work environment and retaliating against him for reporting misconduct.
According to the lawsuit, Eric Harrison worked as a Shift Lead at Jamba Juice from November 7 to December 15, 2024. During this period, he claims he was subjected to inappropriate advances by his district manager, Zacharia. In one incident, Zacharia allegedly propositioned Harrison for sexual intercourse in a dry storage area at work. When Harrison refused these advances, he faced escalating hostility and threats of termination from Zacharia. On December 15, 2024, Harrison was terminated under allegations of failing to complete job duties and using foul language—claims he asserts were fabricated in retaliation for rejecting Zacharia's advances and reporting the harassment.
Harrison’s complaint outlines violations under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, citing sex-based discrimination and retaliation. He claims that despite meeting or exceeding performance expectations during his employment, he was treated less favorably than other employees outside his protected class due to his sex and sexual orientation as a homosexual male. Furthermore, Harrison states that after reporting the harassment internally and indicating his intention to file a formal complaint with HR—which went unanswered—he faced unlawful termination.
The plaintiff seeks various forms of relief from the court including back pay with interest, front pay with benefits, compensatory damages for emotional distress, punitive damages for willful misconduct by the defendant, attorney’s fees and costs associated with bringing this action forward. Additionally, injunctive relief is sought to prevent further occurrences of such discriminatory practices within the company.
Representing Eric Harrison is attorney Alexander J. Taylor from Sulaiman Law Group Ltd., based in Lombard, Illinois. The case has been assigned Case ID: 1:25-cv-01123 and will be presided over by judges yet to be named.