Woman Sues Employer after Executive Makes Alleged Sexist Remarks

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Summary: A woman says she was fired after complaining about alleged sexist remarks from an executive, which included a preference for dining at Hooters.

Some people just don’t want to do business near hot wings and hot women, and the idea of it can strike a nerve.

  

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According to The Twin Cities Pioneer Press, a Prior Lake woman is suing her former employer for wrongful termination. She said she was fired after complaining about an alleged sexist meeting with a company executive.

The plaintiff, Marci Hocevar, 53, is suing German software company Molecular Health, which has a domestic office in Texas. Before she was let go, she was an executive account director and was allowed to work remotely. In January of last year, the senior vice president of U.S. sales, Tom Strilko, traveled to Twin Cities to meet with Hocevar and evaluate her job performance. In her lawsuit, Hocevar said Strilko informed her that he had a preference for dining at Hooters “because he enjoyed being served by that restaurant’s young female waitresses, as opposed to the unattractive “old men,” who Strilko claimed, work at restaurants such as “Applebee’s.””

According to the Star Tribune, Strilko and Hocevar did not end up meeting at Hooters, but Hocevar sued, saying that Strilko had made inappropriate remarks during their lunch.

Hocevar said that Strilko showed gender discrimination when he told her that having young children interfered with her ability to do her job. He also allegedly questioned whether Hocevar needed to work because her husband was gainfully employed. Insulted, she contacted her immediate supervisor Bruce Mracheck who contacted human resources. One month later, both Hocevar and Mracheck were terminated.

Hocevar said that the firing was retaliatory. She is seeking up to $1 million in lost wages and damages.

A lawyer for Molecular Health said that the lawsuit has no merit.

Source: Twin Cities Pioneer Press and Star Tribune

Updated 12/12/17 at 1:40 pm to clarify that Hooters was mentioned as a dining preference but that Hocevar and Strilko dined elsewhere. 

Photo courtesy of Twitter

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