|
Allen and Soon-Yi Previn “simply decided that a military
professional who wanted to be paid fairly was not a good fit to
work in the Allen home,” private chef Hermie Fajardo said in a
civil complaint filed Tuesday in federal court in Manhattan.
Allen and Previn knew Fajardo would need time off for military
training exercises when they and their home manager hired him as
their full-time chef in June 2024 at an annual salary of
$85,000, the complaint said. But he was fired the following
month, soon after returning from a training that lasted a day
longer than expected, it said.
When Fajardo returned to work, “he was immediately met with
instant hostility and obvious resentment by defendants,”
according to the lengthy complaint.
At the time, Fajardo had been raising concerns about his pay —
first that his employers weren't properly withholding taxes or
providing a paystub, then that they shortchanged him by $300,
according to the complaint.
Allen, Previn and manager Pamela Steigmeyer are accused in the
lawsuit of violating the federal Uniformed Services Employment
and Reemployment Rights Act and New York labor law, as well as
causing Fajardo humiliation, stress and a loss of earnings.
Representatives for Allen did not immediately respond to emails
seeking comment.
Fajardo said he was hired after being showered with compliments
following a meal of roasted chicken, pasta, chocolate cake and
apple pie he prepared for the defendants and two guests.
According to the complaint, it was only after Previn fired him
and he hired a lawyer that he was told his cooking was not up to
par, a claim Fajardo said was untrue.
All contents © copyright 2024 Associated Press. All rights reserved
|
|
