A former private chef of Woody Allen and spouse Quickly-Yi Previn has filed a lawsuit alleging they fired him for taking day without work to coach within the U.S. Military Reserves after which questioning cost improprieties upon his return.
In a grievance filed Tuesday in Manhattan federal courtroom, skilled chef Hermie Fajardo mentioned that defendants Allen, Previn and their personal house supervisor Pamela Steigmeyer violated the Uniformed Companies Employment and Reemployment Act (USERRA), Inner Income Service tax codes and New York State labor and tax legal guidelines.
He alleged he was let go quickly after asking why they underpaid him throughout his service, didn’t withhold taxes and initially paid him through bank-to-bank switch with no pay stub or tax withholding.
In accordance with the grievance, Steigmeyer informed Fajardo that taking day without work for reservist coaching can be no downside and promised him full pay. However after he needed to keep an additional day, he was met with “resentment and hostility” when he returned and his test was $300 brief, in keeping with his attorneys.
When Fajardo pressed for solutions, Steigmeyer allegedly responded “abrasively,” saying, “I hope it will not affect your job in the future.”
On his first day again from coaching, Fajardo mentioned he made lunch for Allen and Previn, then Steigmeyer took him apart and abruptly fired him. He was informed the couple didn’t like his cooking, “despite offering him effusive praise for his culinary prowess during his employment, demonstrating pretext and proving defendants’ obvious discriminatory and retaliatory animus,” the grievance states.
Fajardo is searching for unspecified damages for financial hurt in addition to “mental anguish, emotional distress and humiliation, and damages caused to his personal and professional reputations,” along with authorized charges.
“They need to be held accountable in a court of law as an example to others who would seek to take advantage of their employees, especially those who serve in our armed forces,” lawyer Jon Norinsberg mentioned in an announcement.
