A woman from the Philippines claims she was passed over as a shift manager at Arby’s in Mercer County because of her accent.
Maria Dyll filed lawsuit against Arby’s Restaurant Group Inc. on Nov. 11 in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania citing race discrimination and national origin discrimination.
Dyll, who was born in the Philippines, was hired by Arby’s on March 2, 2010, and then promoted to a team trainer in May 2013. She inquired about working the drive-thru and becoming a shift manager, but was told by a general manager, the lawsuit claims, that "people would not be able to understand her.” Also, according to the lawsuit, the general manager repeatedly mocked her by repeating phrases she said in a fake accent.
On or about July 28, 2013, Dyll, following her annual performance review, was told, the lawsuit claims, that the general manager would train her as a shift manager in October 2013. That never occurred, the lawsuit claims.
When Dyll refused to sign a respect on Oct. 23 without having a lawyer present she was fired, the lawsuit claims.
Dyll is represented by Pittsburgh-based attorneys Marjorie Bagnato and John E. Quinn of Portnoy and Quinn LLC in Pittsburgh.
U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania case number 2:15-cv-014178-JFC