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Garren Lovelace, 53, a former cook at a Buffalo Wild Wings in Kansas, has sued the organization and its parent company for racial discrimination and retaliation.
Lovelace worked at the restaurant in Overland Park, Kansas for 12 years before he was terminated in October of 2017. He alleges in the lawsuit that inappropriate remarks made by staff members about his race and age were overlooked, and that management allowed staffers to provide “subpar service” to African-American customers.
Lovelace also says management retaliated against him when he spoke up about employees not abiding by safety standards in the restaurants. He says he was denied promotions and assigned to less favorable shifts despite his title as a senior cook and trainer.
Lovelace is demanding damages in the amount of $75,000 from Buffalo Wild Wings and Inspire Brands. A spokesperson for Buffalo Wild Wings said in a statement that the company has “no tolerance for discrimination of any kind” and had opened an internal investigation.
Here’s what you need to know.
1. Garren Lovelace Says an Assistant General Manager Referred to Him ‘The Angry Black Man’ & That Other Racially Insensitive Remarks Were Dismissed by Management as ‘Jokes’
Garren Lovelace says that he worked under at least six general managers during his 12 years at Buffalo Wild Wings. In the lawsuit, Lovelace says that he reported a former general manager whom he had allegedly seen sexually harassing and assaulting a female employee.
Lovelace said that he began experiencing problems at work in early 2017 after a new manager, identified as Pat Robben, was hired. An assistant general manager introduced Lovelace to another employee as “the angry black man,” allegedly because of his decision to report the former GM. Lovelace went to Robben about the comment, but no action was taken.
The lawsuit further claims that “under Robben, numerous racial comments were made but would be dismissed as jokes despite Mr. Lovelace’s repeated complaints about the inappropriateness of such remarks. Mr. Lovelace also witnessed management making derogatory comments about African American customers and permit servers to refuse to serve African American employees or provide them with subpar service.”
2. Lovelace Claims He Was Denied Wage Increases as Retaliation & That the General Manager Described Him as Being ‘Old’ & ‘Overpaid’
Former Buffalo Wild Wings cook alleges in lawsuit that he was retaliated against for reporting racial and other forms of discrimination against him and others and safety violations at the restaurant. t.co/PnVByCeEt5
Garren Lovelace spoke up when he saw employees fail to follow standard safety guidelines. He says in the lawsuit that he went to management when he saw that “younger employees were not properly rotating products which could lead to defective perishable goods and health concerns.” As referenced above, Lovelace also reported racial comments made toward him and about African-American customers.
But Pat Robben was not receptive to his reports. Lovelace and his attorneys claim that Robben instead expressed anger about Lovelace’s hourly wage and “made numerous derogatory statements about Mr. Lovelace being overpaid.” He also reportedly criticized Lovelace as being “old” and therefore unable to complete tasks quickly. Lovelace added that Robben “would also get angry and complain when Mr. Lovelace requested accommodations for extra breaks from working in the freezer because it triggered his asthma.”
Lovelace said that during this time period, he was denied promotions and pay raises. He also claimed that management pushed him to work less favorable shifts despite his seniority, having been at the restaurant for more than a decade. Lovelace says managers would also ask him to perform tasks such as cleaning floors and bundling trash “despite his status as a senior cook and trainer.”
3. Lawsuit: Garren Lovelace Followed the Restaurant’s Attendance Policy & Told Management He Felt Unfairly Singled Out For Disciplinary Action
Garren Lovelace lawsuit against Buffalo Wild Wings
The tension between Garren Lovelace and the Buffalo Wild Wings management came to a head after he began caring for a sick relative. The restaurant had a policy that mandated employees call in if they are going to be late for some reason.
Lovelace says he followed the policy but was disciplined for being late. He claimed in the lawsuit that “other younger and non-African American employees who engaged in similar conduct or behavior did not receive any disciplinary action.”
Lovelace reported his concerns to upper management and told them that he felt singled out. The lawsuit states that “Mr. Lovelace continued to report discrimination, retaliation and hostile working conditions but his efforts were futile.” Buffalo Wild Wings fired him on October 3, 2017, after he arrived late for a shift.
4. Lovelace Claims He Was Discriminated Against on the Basis of Race, Age & Disability
NEW: Buffalo Wild Wings told the Star they are opening an investigation of the alleged conduct. @KCStar
Garren Lovelace initiated legal action against Buffalo Wild Wings shortly after he was terminated. The lawsuit explains that Lovelace “filed a charge of discrimination against BWW with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) on May 9, 2018 regarding claims of race, age and disability discrimination as well as retaliation and other unlawful acts.” The commission told Lovelace and his attorney on February 21, 2019, that they had the right to file a federal lawsuit.
Lovelace is alleging discrimination on multiple fronts. He claims that he was singled out and terminated based on his race and age. The suit includes that Lovelace was 52 years old at the time of his firing.
Lovelace alleges that Buffalo Wild Wings violated the Americans with Disabilities Act and that he was discriminated against for having a disability. This part of the lawsuit does not specifically explain Lovelace’s disability, but his attorney is most likely referring to Lovelace’s asthma.
The lawsuit goes on to allege that Lovelace suffered retaliation. He claims the management at Buffalo Wild Wings ignored his complaints of discrimination and that his firing was direct retaliation for coming forward to report issues. Lovelace further accuses the company of fostering a “racially hostile work environment” in violation of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
Lovelace is asking for damages “in excess of $75,000” for lost wages, court and attorney fees, and “mental and emotional distress” caused by his termination.
5. Garren Lovelace Now Works as a Trainer & Chef For a Senior Living Company
Garren Lovelace was hired by Spectrum Retirement Communities in March of 2018 as a cook and trainer, according to his LinkedIn profile. He wrote that his job includes traveling to different restaurants around the country to provide training to new management and cooks.
Lovelace wrote that he has a bachelor’s degree in business administration. In addition to his experience as a cook, Lovelace says he was previously employed as a youth care worker at a private school in Kansas City, Missouri. He began working for Buffalo Wild Wings in Overland Park, Kansas, in October of 2005.
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