A former operations manager for a food service provider at John F. Kennedy International Airport claims that the hostile, discriminatory work environment she faced has caused her lasting psychological damage.
Veronica Simplice, who is Black, was called “offensive and racial slurs” by colleagues and was subject to disparate treatment, according to a lawsuit brought against SodexoMagic Nov. 8.
“Plaintiff had to endure being called by everything but her name,” according to the complaint filed in the US District Court for the Eastern District of New York accusing Sodexo of violating federal and state civil rights laws.
Simplice started working for Sodexo in October 2022 under supervision from an East Asian manager, the complaint said. The manager didn’t address Simplice’s complaints about the racial slurs, and “has always shown preference towards the East Indian and Guyanese employees whilst treating black employees inequitably,” according to the complaint.
Simplice claims she faced more hostility when requesting bereavement leave than her non-Black colleagues have when taking time off. She also says she was micromanaged and subjected to a baseless performance improvement plan.
Sodexo employees “have engaged in a campaign of several malicious actions towards plaintiff to ultimately have plaintiff voluntarily resign from her position,” the complaint said.
Simplice claims she has been hospitalized multiple times due to the impact of her former workplace on her mental health.
The case is Simplice v. Sodexo Magic, E.D.N.Y., No. 1:24-cv-07818, 11/8/24.
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