An Olive Garden employee, who made headlines last week when a customer singled her out in an incident of racial discrimination, has decided to sue the restaurant.
What We Know:
- According to a Facebook post from local law firm Danks and Danks Saturday afternoon, Amira Donahue, 16, decided to quit her position at the restaurant due to what she said has become a hostile work environment.
- “After Amira spoke up about being discriminated against by an Olive Garden customer, she has been harassed by and retaliated against by her coworkers and superiors,” the post reads. Amira told her superiors about the harassment and retaliation by her coworkers, and Olive Garden failed to stop it from continuing.
- As first reported, Donahue was working her shift as a host at Olive Garden in Evansville on Feb. 29 when a customer requested a white server instead of the server already assigned to the table. Both Donahue and the server are black.
- Donahue said, “She made comments about me to my co-workers concerning my race and saying that I should work at a strip club instead. She asked if I’m even black and if I’m from here.”
- An emailed statement from Olive Garden said, “We have zero tolerance for discrimination of any kind, and the manager involved no longer works for our company.”
- Attorney Brandon Danks, told local news outlet WEVV that the firm is “anticipating litigation” and expects to “eventually file something”.
- “We stand with Amira and fully support her decision,” the firm’s Facebook post concluded. “She has been strong in facing adversity and brave for exposing it.”
Paparazzi Glamour & Gowns, an Evansville formal wear store, which Donahue had a payment arrangement for her prom dress, said her dress would be free. A post on the stores Facebook page reads: “Your prom dress is here waiting for you – as is a sales associate position with a management team and co-workers who support you in your fundamental right to be amazing, if you ever choose to take us up on it!”
