Former Trainer Files Lawsuit Against Gym, Claims Boss Made Racial Slurs
WEST MIFFLIN (KDKA) – A former personal trainer at a local gym is filing a lawsuit.
He claims that he was tormented with racially slurs and references for nearly two years from his former manager.
"Probably the worst time in my life actually," said Marcus Rose.
That's how the 25-year-old describes most of his time working at Planet Fitness.
Rose says he worked at the gym in West Mifflin for two years. He says he loved his job as a personal trainer, but he also says his work environment was hostile.
And it is clearly stated in the lawsuit his attorney filed in June against Planet Fitness and Rose's former general manager.
Rose says he was harassed by then manager Brandon Bell.
"He would come around me saying the shoe shine joke, what was he saying, shinny shine shoe shine," Rose said.
"I went tanning a lot and he would also say, 'Aren't you dark enough?'" Rose added. "that type of ordeal."
Rose says shortly after all of this, he was terminated and when he wanted to know why and did not leave the building, the police were called and he was arrested for disorderly conduct. That was last November, the charges were eventually dropped.
Attorney Devin O'Leary says there's proof of the accusations.
"A combination of statements and documents, we feel gives us all the proof that we need, not only to establish a case, but to establish that Mr. Rose was severely damaged as well," he said.
Planet Fitness responded to the accusations with this statement: "Planet Fitness absolutely does not discriminate in any way. As per company policy, we are unable to comment on pending litigation."
That manager no longer works at the gym. Rose remains unemployed.
"I would like to see Marcus made whole and I would like to see an apology," O'Leary said.
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