PORTLAND, Ore. (CN) - A woman claims Rite-Aid fired her for complaining that her boss gave her a gift card that stated, "For All U Do, here's an elephant meat Just 4 U," accompanied by a "large rubber penis."
In her complaint in Multnomah County Court, former Rite-Aid cashier Susan Clark says she was nominated several times for an Associate of the Quarter Award, and garnered comments from satisfied customers, such as, "an associate with a happy heart, always available to help out customers as best she can."
But about a year into her job, Clark says her direct supervisor, Christie Schnepp, started getting a little too friendly. Clark says Schnepp told her about her sexual escapades and showed her pictures she had taken of naked men.
Clark claims she told her boss such things offended her, but Schnepp continued.
In the winter of 2008, in front of her co-workers, Clark says, Schnepp gave her a "seasonal card with a handwritten inscription that read, 'for All U Do, here's an elephant meat Just 4 U'" and a "large rubber penis."
Humiliated, Clark says she reported Schnepp to Rite-Aid's human resources department.
She says the company investigated and confirmed that Schnepp had given her the card and the rubber penis.
Immediately after she reported the incident, Clark says, Rite-Aid cut her hours from 30 a week to 19. And she says Rite Aid human resources manager James Gonzales threatened to suspend her.
Several months later, the company fired her.
Clark demands $650,000 from Schnepp and Rite-Aid, for a hostile workplace, retaliation, wrongful firing and emotional distress. She is represented by Ralph Rayburn of Lake Oswego
