A Black former Nobu L.A. LLC employee has reached a settlement in her lawsuit alleging she was wrongfully terminated from her job as a reservationist in 2023 for complaining about sexual harassment by one female supervisor and micromanagement by another.
Plaintiff Bria Burke maintained in her Los Angeles Superior Court lawsuit that one of her bosses massaged her with her hands and with a massage gun while she took reservations and that the other overly supervised her and two other employees, who like the plaintiff are Black.
On Friday, Burke’s attorneys filed court papers with Judge Stephen P. Pfahler notifying that the case was resolved on Sept. 3. No terms were divulged. The suit was filed Jan. 9, alleging sexual harassment, failure to prevent sexual harassment, sexual battery, discrimination and failure to prevent discrimination.
In their court papers, Nobu attorneys denied Burke’s allegations and cited multiple defenses, including violation of the statute of limitations and that her claims belonged in the workers’ compensation arena.
Burke was hired at the La Cienega Boulevard restaurant in May 2022. She contended that the one boss who sexually harassed her did so from January to March 2023, once telling her after fondling her, “Oh sorry, I can’t help myself, your (breasts) are just so big and luscious.”
The supervisor also would massage Burke with her hands and with a massage gun while the plaintiff took phone reservations, the suit alleged.
Another supervisor scrutinized the work of Burke and two other Black employees more often and disciplined them verbally and in writing for minor issues for which others were not targeted, the suit stated.
Although Burke complained, she was suspended without pay in March 2023 for allegedly taking an unexcused bathroom break and terminated a week later, according to the suit.
I am glad she won. Sexual harassment by supervisors is common. I made it a mandatory law, never be alone with anyone that you don’t trust. Prayers 🙏